


New Beginnings

by Guysajer



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2020-12-20 23:34:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 65,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21065039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guysajer/pseuds/Guysajer
Summary: A/U: He left her, not knowing what he had done. The world needed saving, there was no reason to look back. She was shattered, her heart torn open by the man she thought she loved. He never looked back, he never understood how much he hurt her after having just one night together. Three years later they meet and neither is ready to handle the truth. Go/Chi (Pre Z timeline)





	1. Chapter 1

_ ‘Where are you going?’ She called out, flustered and caught completely off guard. She had chased him all the way to the balcony. She was disheveled, her hair a mess, her clothes, or mostly a lack thereof, was telling. Watching the man she’d told she loved jumping into the air. _

_ The explosion outside along with the sounds of rapid punches, and combat had filled the entire village. Bodies being tossed back and forth as there was a desperate struggle of the forces between good and evil. When one would be struck down another would take their place. _

_ Pitting the rising stars against the king of evil, four human men standing against a green monster. How they had come to detour here was by design. Knowing that the only occupant in this village would never back down and would rise to the occasion.  _

_ Afterall he had beaten him not too long ago. _

_ He cast her a backwards glance, ‘Didn’t you see? That was Piccolo’s son Junior, he came back for a fight and now I’ve got to end it.’ The World Martial Arts champ was wholly focused on the new threat right before him. He’d hoped to have a rematch, he just hadn’t expected one so soon. He looked back towards where his friends were already chasing after him. He was determined, this time he wouldn’t be so lenient. He’d given him chances and he’d come back again and threatened him after sparing him. He had to put an end to this! _

_ ‘You can’t leave Goku! What about your promise, what about our wedding!’ her voice was pained as Goku took off into the air. ‘Goku! Dammit! You can’t just leave me like this!’ _

_ ‘I’ll be back! Don’t worry!’ Goku replied to the girl he’d said he’d marry. The Ox-King’s daughter Chi-Chi had been adamant about having a fantastic wedding and starting a life together. Which sounded fun, but he had to deal with Piccolo, if he didn’t then there was no telling how many other people might get hurt! _

_ She screamed loudly. ‘Son Goku if you don’t come back I will never forgive you! You can’t just sleep with me and run away, what kind of man are you! I thought you cared about me, I loved you … you.. YOU CAN’T JUST DO THIS TO ME!’ But he continued chasing after those who had come in such an explosive entrance just as quickly. The trails of his aura vanished as he went to help his friends. _

_ Her voice carried on the winds but Goku disappeared becoming a white spec on the horizon. He hadn’t even looked back at her! ‘You son of a bitch… You fuck me and leave me after just one night?’ Tears quickly burned into her eyes as she fell against the railing. Holding her face as she released a bitter sob, Goku had just run out on her. Her heart had been ripped to pieces, feeling so betrayed in body mind and soul. _

_ It was as if she didn’t even matter, how could this be what he had just promised her. From her heart she released a stream of tears as the man whom she’d given so much to already left her. In all of her life, Chi-Chi had done nothing to hurt him. Done so much more to gain his favor and worked towards the almost impossible goal of being married to the man she loved. _

_ But that love wasn’t returned, it wasn’t even appreciated! Gritting her teeth, she swirled her emotions in the exact opposite direction. She wasn’t going to lay down and weep. ‘I won’t waste another second on you, from this moment forward. You are dead to me. I don’t need you! There’s plenty of other men who’d be happy to be married to me.’ Pushing herself to her feet Chi-Chi brought a hand to her heart to make a solemn vow.  _

_ All of her pain was transformed, shifting from misery and self loathing into a new force, one that ignited a fire inside of her even greater than that for her once great desire to be married. This new goal might take her entire life not a few measly years. _

_ ‘I will get my revenge for what you did to me, I will work harder than ever and I will take something from you that I promise you will never! EVER REGRET!’ Clenching her hand into her skin Chi-Chi then made her way back to her room.  _

_ She would do what she had to clean up this mess. The first thing was to take the few pictures and memories of Goku and rip them down and into pieces. Then once she got dressed she would burn the remains of her past and then start training. _

_ But she would also need to see her father and find any suitable suitors that he might recommend now that she was officially done with… no one in particular. _

_ ‘My new beginning, a fresh start.’ Taking a breath Chi-Chi then set about changing her life for the betterment of herself, her kingdom, and for her father. _

_ Except… _

Three years Later.

“Kenyo?” Chi-Chi emerged from her palace room looking for her husband. Her eyes flickering around as she tried to locate him and more importantly what had gotten up and wandered off. Making her way down the hallway, Chi-Chi looked for any telltale signs that might lead to her finding out where he might have gone.

Working back, “Let’s see, I just got finished with this morning’s regime. I made sure they had breakfast, a quick kiss and then a change of-” A sound of boisterous giggling came from down the hall. It could’ve only been one thing.

Smiling, Chi-Chi released a sigh of relief and made her way towards the large nursery. The new room had been completely remade for the birth of Chi-Chi and Gyu-Mao’s new young little prince. A tiny heart throb, but so intelligent and down right adorable bundle of love. 

Two nannies were currently working holding up his hands as the small boy laughed with them. Just over two years old, the small child’s huge smile brightened up the entire palace. His messy black hair slicked in small spikes in several directions, one hung over his bangs nearly splitting between his eyes. The young nannies had fallen in love with the little boy as his parents had. His small fingers grasping one’s hands as he walked about with them, finding the mere act of exercising to be so much fun. Of course their cheerful claps and praises didn’t hinder him either.

“Thats it Gohan, oh you are just doing so well!” The youngest, Teres, chimed in. The young brunette held up small chubby hands as he waddled around the room following the other young woman. Wearing only a modest maid outfit, her hair was bundled much like that of Chi-Chi’s in a neat bun. A thin girl of maybe a hundred pounds but her spirit showed as she kept up with the boundless ball of energy. That small cheery voice of laughter was filling up the air as he went after the other woman. 

“Come to Aunty Alice.” A fuller woman perhaps in her forties, with a short bob blonde cut and fuller face. She served as Chi-Chi’s midwife. The woman had taken an extreme liking to Gohan like many others. Holding out her larger hands, she urged him to come towards her. Dressed more like a nanny, she slowly backed away from the approaching toddler getting him to use all of his muscles to go just a little faster and farther. He barely used Teres as anything but a balance, if he needed to.

A natural stabilizer swayed behind him. A furry brown tail, one that was not discussed or brought up by the household. Chi-Chi never talked about it, her husband didn’t bother asking, and no one else cared as the little boy seemed just like any other. Aside from his abornormal intelligence and strength, but it wasn’t worth gossiping over.

Of course, even Chi-Chi wasn’t above a few dirty rumors. Most people knew that Kenyo wasn’t the legitimate father, some people claimed that the princess had gotten knocked up on a three day binder, or had been forced to bear a man’s child after losing to him at the World Martial Arts Tournament. Though the worst rumor was that the princess had fallen in love with some vagrant, who had ducked out on her the moment he had gotten what he wanted. A young man, handsome, well built with broad shoulders came into her life and left just as quickly once the deed was done. Of course… those were only rumors. Nothing about them were completely true.

“Ah you got me Gohan, oh that’s such a wonderful little prodigy.” Alice pinned as the boy grabbed her leg and laughed happily. Scooping him up she let him float about the room as she whisked him about, his favorite past time as he loved being thrown around much to his mother’s dismay. “And up we go!” She said tossing him just a few scant inches from her grip and right back down making the little boy burst into an absolute fit of giggles.

She tossed him up a few more times until the girls played catch, literally, with Gohan. The small child was loving every second of it as he would instinctively grab whomever was throwing him with his tail and when thrown back release and grasp the next person. His hands waving in the air as he was tossed no more than a foot between the women, and not over a safety blanket covered in everything that would cushin his fall. They called it-

“Stop throwing the baby.” Chi-Chi said, her arms crossed over her chest. She gave a furrowed brow and stern gaze at both of the ‘adults’ in the room. No matter how many times - and there were many - the girls continued treating her son like a beach ball. “Throw Gohan, was a popular past time, even her husband and father were guilty of indulging in this not very approved activity. 

If it was mother doing it, she didn’t mind. Afterall no one would ever have her reflexes. ‘It’s probably my fault for creating this stupid game, but I never encouraged anyone else to participate.’

“Sorry Princess,” “We’re sorry mam,” They said, stopping as Gohan who was all laughs stopped and looked around trying to find out why the game had ceased His small eyes fixed upon his mother, and even he dropped his head and upper lip. He didn’t like making mommy upset despite how much fun he had. 

“Ehhh.” She released a sigh, “Please just not when I’m around, besides that I’d like to have my son for a bit anyway.” Chi-Chi said, her dismissal of their actions causing a sigh of relief from both women. Alice set down Gohan on his feet before patting him in Chi-Chi’s direction. “Go on, go to Momma.” She told him, to which he did setting off on his small feet, his tail acting like a ship rudder allowing him to nearly collide with both of his mother’s powerful legs.

“Up? Momma?” he asked lifting up his hands to her, his fingers gripping her dress as he pulled on her cheongsam. “How do we ask Gohan?” His mother said looking down at him with a smile. “Pweeze?” He said, showing his full puppy dog eyes. The heart breaker and lady killer look was all there and he smiled as she picked him up with both hands and put him against her breast. 

“Thank you, sweetie.” She said kissing him against his temple, taking a moment to nuzzle him and run a hand through his hair. ‘No matter your fath- You are always my little angel. My scholar to be, and my legacy to this world.’ Casting a look back to her maid and nanny, “Thank you ladies, I’ll have him for now.”

“As you wish Princess,” “My lady.” Both of them bowed their heads. Despite whatever rumors that may exist about Chi-Chi, anyone could see that she was still at heart a wonderful person, a caring mother, and a devoted wife. Whatever past improprieties she had, she’d worked to correct them and rise above anything that might’ve held her back.

Her tireless work for her kingdom and family had greatly diminished any shame that one might seek to bring. Her entire life did not need to be measured by one mistake, and certainly not one that the entire village had come to love just like his two parents and his doting grandfather. The same man who had come up with the name after his old friend whom he’d never had the chance of seeing again. Considering the nature of Gohan’s upbringing Chi-Chi believed that the name was perfect. Gohan Mao was perfect, no matter what traits he might have with the vagrant who’d left her.

“How’s my little boy?” Chi-Chi cooed kissing his forehead. “Happy!” He replied, “Hugs?” His childish antics only making the women in the room melt their hearts. The gentle aww and bright smile of his mother was his answer as he brought his hands to her and hugged her, which she returned and gently stroked his back.

“Mommy loves you very much.” She told him to which he agreed. “I wuv Mommy vwery much!” She laughed and rubbed her nose against his. “I know, let’s go find Daddy and I’ll let you go play with Icarus, alright?”

“YAY! Icarus!” Gohan cried out, his favorite, not that he didn’t have dozens of playmates. But the most unexpected one had become a staple of the Ox-Kingdom, a purple dinosaur which the small boy had noticed and bid his mother to bring home.

She stepped away from the room and made her way towards the outer balcony, assuming that Kenyo had made his way out there and was likely speaking with her father about business as per usual.

The calmness of the castle, and the peace she had found here… “I wouldn’t trade this for anything.” She said aloud, Gohan ignoring her words as he looked around at everything. He was busy finding anything interesting or worthy of a few moments of his time.

As she neared the exit to the balcony, Chi-Chi stopped and looked at the small momento she had carved into stone. ‘Don’t Quit, Don’t Give Up, Never Again’ It was her motto when she went out to train. No matter the day, time, the weather. She would push herself and fight tooth and nail to not let the world get her down ever again. She’d let herself be fooled once before, but not again. ‘Never again,’ She had told herself over and over.

‘Letting myself be fooled by him, tricked and used like I mattered as much as cattle to him.’ She wouldn’t let the shackles of that no good pile of human trash be more than motivation. Besides… she grinned in her mind as she set Gohan down and let him take off to the balcony and go find his favorite animal friend. 

Bringing one hand to her dress she undid the top and pulled it free, revealing a tight black top, her father’s house symbol etched into the skin tight fabric, the gi tied off with a white sash and black leggings wrapping up her feet. Looking at herself in the mirror, “I think I might have overdone it with the black, people might call me Chi-Chi Black instead of Mao.” 

Flexing her muscles bulged showing a level of strength she’d never had before, invigorated in ways she couldn’t imagine. Her stomach had lost whatever pregnancy flab and had become a rock hard pair of abs, her bust line while shrinking kept their full C-Cup line and had become perhaps perkier and held themselves up without much need of a bra. Her legs were toned, exposing her thigh and calf muscles through the open slits on the side. Tied off with weight training shoes that exceeded anything a certain someone had worn. Chi-Chi could not help but smile at herself and her progress.

“World’s strongest… heh It will be a woman soon enough.” Throwing one punch at her reflection in the mirror she winked at herself before leaving her formal wear on a coat rack to be taken care of later. Walking out onto the balcony Chi-Chi spotted what she had expected.

“Kenyo, Dad, good morning!” Chi-Chi greeted with a wave, coming upon them with her smile as always.

Both men looked up, Kenyo holding the morning paper, his short brown hair on the sides with a slightly ragged brown cut on top remained. Mid twenties, with a bright smile, he’d been in her village for years, but she hadn’t seen him while she had been training for the 23rd tournament. He’d been out getting his doctorate in medical sciences, a nice man, a collegiate track runner, but most of all…

“It’s Mommy! LOOK DADDY, LOOK!” Gohan cried pointing towards her. The older man just laughed and patted the boy’s head. “Oh yes I see mom is out here Gohan, you keep using that little noodle in your head and you’ll be a genius.” 

“YAY Geenyush!” Earning laughter as Kenyo picked up Gohan and set him in his lap. The two had bonded quickly, even if he wasn’t his biological son. Kenyo loved Gohan like his very own. He’d been there for his birth, for Chi-Chi, and supported the two of them in any way until they had gotten married over a year ago. 

“English lesson aside, good morning dear.” Chi-Chi giving her husband a warm kiss on the lips to which he returned. “Good morning to you too.” He said in a low breath to which she blushed before looking at her dad.

Gyu-Mao approved wholly of Kenyo and Chi-Chi. Both had been perfect for one another, the boy could at least keep some pace with his daughter but he checked all of the other necessary boxes, handling his daughter’s controlling personality, demands both emotional and physical, but more importantly he had a genuine love for both her and Gohan. Maybe it was because Kenyo had grown up without a father that he had stepped in without a second thought to be there for Gohan.

He understoof that someone with as much resources as Chi-Chi needed that anchor. “Hey little buddy, go find Icarus alright.” Setting Gohan back down the little boy scampered in a near sprint down the stairs calling out for his playmate. Neither parent or grandparent worried as he never strayed too far. “I love that kid, he’s all energy, smiles, and let me tell you I wish I had a heart-breaker smile and eyes like him. Oh man, we went to the market yesterday, there wasn’t a woman in the store that didn’t want to hold that guy…” Kenyo remarked having a little excursion with his son. Blood or not. 

Grandpa Ox nodded, “I know, all of the ladies who work here adore him. But he’s no manipulator, people do things for him without him trying to ask for it.” No one else could truly appreciate that about his grandson. “You two have a real winner together, don’t waste his potential.”

“Of course not, Dad,” Kenyo said, “Speaking of have you seen the forecast, we might have an absolutely spectacular summer festival. The humidity will be perfect, the night will be clear and the stars will shine. Sounds like a great evening for the entire village to enjoy especially what I’ve been looking to cook up with a fireworks display.” He was eager to show off some of his other talents, bending test tubes and twisting compounds got dull. A little explosives here and there always helped kick things off with a bigger bang.

“Getting in trouble, I hope you’re not planning on making some atom bomb with my dad’s gunpowder.” Chi-Chi teased dropping into her morning stretches. Swinging up one leg she braced it completely around her shoulder while remaining balanced on the other. 

For some reason her flexibility had gone up considerably since having her son. Against what should be possible, she’d been growing unlike ever before. Not that she didn’t mind, her and her husband got to enjoy a lot of her unique talents, quite often though he could never keep up with her. He did do his damndest to keep her happy.

“It’s basic chemistry, you know how things added in proper portions allow for a specific reaction, I wouldn’t be making medicine if I couldn’t do the basics of that. Gunpowder and fireworks are child’s play by comparison.”

Swinging out her arm before following it back in a fluid kata motion Chi-Chi just shook her head, “One blows your finger off, the other gives you a bad case of dirty fingers.”

“One might do that, but what’s a few fingers to someone’s life? But I concede if you concede.” He said knowing that the two of them loved getting into a verbal debate about their daily topics. More so since he could never have a physical one. Though he did appreciate the physique of his wife. She’d definitely gotten much stronger since they met.

“What’s the count today if I might ask?”

“Just a hundred and fifty kilos.” She said as if it were nothing, she gave him a smirk. “I told you I’m not backing down. I’m pushing to two hundred kilos and ideally three hundred before the next World Martial Arts Tournament.” Afterall, she had devised a plan that would crush anyone, but especially one in particular. She was going to make him SUFFER! Even if he might not know it, Chi-Chi had learned very quickly about -he who shall not be named- weaknesses. There were a few obvious ones…

But her grand revenge against him would be perfect, she just needed to keep working harder and harder.

“It’s remarkable your body handles that weight, I guess the old rumors of how a woman keeps her strength up after having a kid were true.” Kenyo laughed as did Gyu Mao. “Yeah, my wife did that herself, she seemed to perk up, but Chi-Chi you really have progressed faster than before.”

She smiled appreciating the compliments, “Well they say that the placenta is a mess of proteins, vitamins and minerals taken from your body, and with how many I had with Gohan it would be a waste to let it go.”

“True, I’m just glad you had it cooked up. I couldn’t imagine you eating that raw, you seemed to crave that stuff when you were deep into your pregnancy.” Kenyo remarked having seen the odd things Chi-Chi wanted from raw crawfish, to deer, to dinosaur, and even bear. She just salivated at the thought of some foods and would often clean out kitchens before excusing herself. 

“I’m not a savage Kenyo,” She said punching the air, creating a small ripple behind the strike. “Eating my own placenta raw? Please, that’s totally disgusting. I did the same thing my mother did. When I have a daughter I'd expect her-” She punched and kicked again. “- to do the same-” Flying back with a roundhouse and drop heel combo her foot kicking up the dust and dirt from the aftershock. She smiled impressed with her own handiwork, wiping a light sheen of sweat from her forehead. “Before I forget gentlemen.” She turned over the railing, “Gohan, bring Icarus up here.”

Her voice carrying as she heard a squawk, along with the sound of pattering feet as a form blitzed upwards. Panting heavily from play and now a heated exercise session Gohan came up the stairs dirty, sweaty, and loving life as he held his best friend over his head. “I brought Icarus!” the dinosaur roared trying to wrestle free but Gohan’s unnatural strength kept him in place.

“Yes I see that sweetie, don’t forget mommy wants you near daddy or grandpa when you play alright? Mommy has to go train.”

“Oh! Can Gohan come?” He asked, bouncing over the table and to her feet. “Pweeze Mommy, PWEEZE?!” He begged, he wanted to go out into the forests with her, play with his dinosaur more and just explore. He tried his best every day to get her to let him come.

Kissing his cheek, “Not today my little Einstein, you have your lessons first then we can go out into the forest for a family walk.” His lip quivered in response and she knew her heart strings were being played but- she couldn’t keep an eye on him when she got into the full swing of things. Her training was paramount and keeping an eye on him wasn’t possible. “Tomorrow, Gohan.” She told him and his tears quickly evaporated.

“Really?” he asked excitedly, dropping Icarus to the side much to the small dinosaurs relief before hugging his mother tightly. “Thank you!” He cried to her, Chi-Chi’s heart only beat against her chest as she squeezed her little boy right back. There was nothing in the world quite like getting a hug from him, her prestige, her life, all of it mattered so very little when compared to the pure love she felt from her son.

Bringing her nose to his own she breathed in deeply, growing so familiar with her son’s smell that she could often find him when he was closeby with her nose alone. It had been of the few other strange things she had been developing though not because of any training. Perhaps it was because of her ravenous appetite, but for whatever reason she just couldn’t get enough of just how he smelled. It was just so pure and it felt so right.

Running a hand through his hair she softly patted his back, “Okay Gohan go play. Mommy will be back later.”

“Okay-!” he then puckered up and gave her a big wet kiss on the cheek making her laugh. 

“Thank you, Gohan now go be good alright?” She told him to which he bobbed his head up and down at her. Standing back upright she looked to her dad and husband, “Be back in a few hours, make sure that he doesn't get into anything he shouldn’t, and don’t let him just rough house with Icarus. I want him to play with the other children too.” Knowing that Gohan needed to be around children his own age, even if they were nowhere near as developed as her son. The boy needed to be used to seeing and meeting new people and how to behave. Carrying around a dinosaur might be fine in her father’s palace but not out in the village.

Taking a moment to crouch onto the balcony she focused and with the explosive force of a missile she blasted off from her own leg power alone, her energy breaking the sound barrier as the wind cracked overhead of her father’s village. 

People having grown accustomed to the noise carried on, feeling the pressure and window gusting up from around them as just another common day occurrence. 

Feeling free Chi-Chi spun several times before rolling herself into a cannonball, taking a dozen or so more somersaults through the air she timed it as her body would impact her legs caught the earth and burst into a roll. She used her inertia to throw herself even faster. Her body twisting through the woods as she relied only upon her muscles, no ki or flying as she navigated the dense jungle. She used her arms used as stabilizers and grips to swing off the thick trunk of a tree and sail around like a pinball. The sheer momentum created grooves in the earth and grass as she passed over.

Keeping her pace for nearly a full minute until she slowed and came to stop on both of her feet, skidding along the grass before breaking into her combination punches. Throwing her weight around with the thick padded vest and leggings that kept her core slow and legs controlled. Her first strike cut through a six inch tree branch as she chopped upwards severing it in half before coming back down and shattering it from the base of the tree. The pieces falling were swept by her leg knocking them both back airborne before she hit one back into the air with an uppercut and drove the second down with a heel kick.

‘Flawless.’ Chi-Chi watched as the piece of wood she had knocked into the air spiraled right back down landing exactly where she had dropped the second piece. The clatter of the wood sounded over the area as it landed echoing in the air around her.

But the echo kept going, Chi-Chi’s ears perked up as she heard not the sound of wood, but of a pair of hands clapping. Someone was applauding her? ‘Who would be out here? Why would anyone?’

Turning her head Chi-Chi spied a form just at the edge of a clearing where she would go through her full exercises. There was a man standing there, his hair in a disarray of long black spikes, some reaching high others not at all. He was wearing an orange fighting gi, pants, and a pair of blue training boots. A goofy wide smile decorated his face as he seemed highly impressed. He stopped his applause once her eyes were now upon him. “Hey there! I felt this huge power in this area and came to investigate, I had no idea there was someone like you out here with this much strength.”

Like a deer caught in the headlights, nothing seemed to function as a hundred different questions, thoughts and actions sprang into her mind. What should she do? What could she do? Do her plan now, later? She just wanted to scream but she couldn't even manage that.

‘Breathe-BREATHE-! DAMMIT BREATHE-!’ Her mind commanded her body but she remained locked in the spot, her feet unmoving, her eyes wide with a mixture of emotions too jumbled to follow. 

This wasn’t at all what she had imagined, this was… wrong. All her plans had been to catch him off guard. He was walking towards her, this was not all this wasn’t the way it should be. Now he had just shown up, did he know about Gohan or about something that she had been planning?  _ ‘No. No. No! You can’t be back! You can’t!’ _

His feet stopped just away from her, his smile faltering a little bit as he noticed that she had yet to move or even say a word. “Hm? Is everything alright, am I interrupting or something?” Bringing his hand back behind his head to awkwardly scratch it as the silence continued to permeate the air. He averted his gaze for a moment as he wondered just what was going on. “Umm? If this is a bad time, I can wait.”

Releasing her breath finally she let her head drop, she clenched her teeth biting down onto her bottom lip. Both of her hands were trembling uncontrollably, clenching and unclenching her fists as she tried to make sense of herself and this situation.  _ ‘Son Goku… he’s standing right in front of me. Just like he left, and he asks if it’s a bad time?’  _ She sniffled as tears burned in her eyes. All of her months of mental preparation having imagined this scenario taking place in her head a thousand times and a thousand more times again having him drop down like this, talking to her as if nothing had ever happened. 

Didn’t he even know? Her head popped up, her vision was blurry, “How… dare. You!” She cried out, releasing all of that bottled up agony of the woman of several years before.

Goku held up his hands, “Hey, I'm sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt you. I’ve been looking for a good sparring partner to train with for awhile. I can leave if it’s a bother to be here.” Goku’s confusion in his reaction only made Chi-Chi’s cheeks burn red hot with unbridled fury as her tears began to turn into steam.

“Sorry… Sorry? SORRY!?” She screamed, her voice making Goku flinch as he took a step back. She slammed her foot into the ground cracking it as her ankle vanished in the dirt and soil below. “Do you even know who the hell I am?” It was impossible,  _ ‘He doesn’t even remember me, He can’t be this stupid can he? Of all the people he’s wronged in his life, can he not remember the woman he fucked and ran out on? For three years, not a phone call, not a hello, or even knowing that I gave you a son? You stand here and act like I never even fucking mattered or, hell, exsisted to you at all.’  _ Her body was trembling and her hair was beginning to flap along with her clothes as they rose up along with her energy.

“Hey I’ll just-” He didn’t get to finish as a fist slammed into his face, caught off guard and with his defenses not even close to prepared he was breaking through one tree, then another one, and another one until he bounced off one with his head. Spinning once he landed in a heap, his entire face rocked and pounding as he grabbed at where he had been hit. Looking upwards Goku saw the girl who had hit him, and he noticed the ten or so plus trees he had been sent through from the power of a single punch.

_ ‘Wow!’  _ It was all that crossed his mind as he rolled back up, still feeling the pain from that blow resonating in his jaw. But he couldn’t help the bright smile that came over his face.  _ ‘Man that was incredible, I didn’t even see it coming, she has to be really really strong! I wonder who she is?’  _ Goku pondered not knowing anyone to wear an outfit like that. “Hey-! Mind if have an actual spar, that was incredible ...” His enthusiasm trailed off as the woman who hit him made and abrupt turn and then without waiting for a response exploded back out into the sky.

Goku lost her in the air as the woman’s entire aura vanished as well, with the trees obstructing his view he was unable to follow where she had gone. “Man, what was that about?” Dusting himself completely off the warrior wondered just where someone like that had come from. He didn’t really remember anyone like that. 

_ ‘Well… I think what was her name?’  _ Goku knew there was a girl from awhile back he had seen. “But what was her name?” Bringing a hand to his chin he struggled to remember her name. It had been a few years, but that girl didn’t really look like- 

His mind had a bolt of lightning strike him, “No way.” It was near complete disbelief, “That was?” Putting two and two together, the image of a similar girl wearing pink and blue fighting him. Her raven black hair back at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. She’d gotten so angry at him and yelled at him just like she had.

He layered the image of the girl from years ago with the one he had just seen now. “Oh man.” he said feeling a bit of guilt. “That was… Chi-Chi.” He brought a hand to his forehead as some of his previous actions now hit him full force. “Man, I promised to come back here didn’t I and I promised to make Chi-Chi my bride.”

Though he had no recollection of what that word meant he knew it was really important to Chi-Chi. She had seemed so completely happy, but then they had spent the night together under the full moon… and he sort of forgot what happened until Piccolo had arrived that next morning causing all sorts of chaos.

“Man, she’s probably really angry with me for not coming back.” Feeling like a bit of a heel himself, he had been neglectful in returning here after making so many promises to her, but the world always had crises and his friends were always in need of help. But the world was safe again, he had come here in search of some new adventures and fun.

  
Sensing that power surge and coming to investigate had just been natural curiosity and upon seeing how she had done that incredible combo after doing those rolls and flips was remarkable.  _ ‘She might be as agile as me!’  _ In that moment of watching her and not recognizing who it exactly was.

  
But that too made him pause. He had been here before with Chi-Chi and just come back unexpectedly, it was a good guess she was upset at him. Kinda like how Bulma and yellow Launch were sometimes with him when he was forgetful.

“Maybe I should apologize for leaving. I think that would be fair, I wouldn’t want her to stay mad at me forever.” He told himself, feeling the still pulsing sting of her punch. The way she had moved so fast and struck with such perfection!  _ ‘Man, that was incredible!’  _ He really wanted to fight her in a match. She had gotten way stronger than he’d last remembered her.

“Whelp, off I go.” He looked to the clouds. “NIMBUS-!” He cried out for his yellow traveling partner which shot downwards, flipping upwards into the air his legs catching the underside of the cloud as they spiraled out from the forest. “To the Ox-King’s castle Nimbus, we’ve got to apologize to an old friend!”

  
The cloud did as commanded and rocketed forward straight to where he remembered leaving three years ago.  _ ‘Man, I hope things haven’t changed too much.’ _


	2. Banished

Chi-Chi landed back on the balcony and judging by everyone’s surprise and reaction she knew that she appeared quite flustered. Showing up red faced and shaking wasn’t how they usually saw her, nor did she come back in fifteen minutes. 

“Momma!” Gohan cried, not sensing the distress in his mother scampering towards her with all due haste. Icarus cried out in protest and followed after him like a dog. “Hi Momma!” Gohan said as he hadn’t quite gotten her attention he normally did as she hadn’t looked down, but as he tugged on the short black training shorts he saw her eyes snap down to him.

_ He has to know? He probably knows, but I won’t let him see, Gohan is my baby! My child. Goku is not going to ruin him or take him from me!  _ Her mind told her as she pictured a hundred different reasons why Goku had come back. There was no way he’d just happened upon her, no that wasn’t possible! She couldn’t accept that.

_ I won’t let him take him! _

She scooped him up into her arms and without speaking another word fled inside the palace hurriedly, the tiny Icarus squawked in protest and trundled inside after Gohan. Gyu-Mao and Kenyo both looked at each other concerned. “That was… odd wasn’t it, Dad?” Kenyo said, folding over his newspaper and setting it on the table. He’d never seen Chi-Chi act like that before. She handled giving birth to her son with a tail better than what had just happened right now. She was always so confident and headstrong he couldn’t imagine what would make her…  _ distressed?  _ “

“Indeed son,” Gyu-Mao remarked. “Something got her flustered.” But he couldn’t put his finger on what that would be. It’s not like Chi-Chi had planned on meeting anyone today or going someplace. “You should go and find her. Might be one of those things you can help her through, if not let me know and I'll have a word with her once she calms down. But maybe giving her a little space and letting her come talk to us will be better. I know she has her moments and just needs a bit of quiet.”

Kenyo looked around for a minute making sure that Chi-Chi wasn’t in ear shot. “Well she did just start her cycle this week, so it-”

“Enough son, you could’ve just said it was her time. I only need so many mental images.” The older man said, waving his hand in protest of the conversation. 

Her husband laughed, “Ah sorry, but yeah it might be one of those ‘girl’ things so I’ll give it a bit then talk with her. She’s a strong woman. I know she won’t appreciate me of all people trying to be the strong one of the relationship.” 

_ Kenyo, dear I love you but please. You don’t-’ Lifting up a tree the size of a small car from the ground with one hand. ‘Need to be worrying about me, I can handle myself I promise you.’ Before dropping it right back in the ground.  _

It was those memories of her that told him that the woman he loved could handle everything. Single motherhood didn’t scare her and he’d never even seen someone so physically imposing beside the Ox-King. If anyone could deal with personal problems it was her, but he'd be sure to go check in on her. 

“Yes my daughter’s pride has only grown over the past years. But maybe I’ll just have the maids knock and see if she needs anything.” Ox-King rang a bell at the table where Alice appeared in the doorway that Chi-Chi had just used. 

“Yes, my King?” She said, her eyes flicking backwards, she saw the way Chi-Chi had sped past her before being summoned. The veteran maid could guess what this was in regards too.

“Would you go and check up on Chi-Chi?” Gyu Mao asked, “I don’t know what happened but please just make sure she’s alright.” 

“Of course, I saw her just a moment ago did something happen?” Her own concern evident in her voice as she heard the faint slam of a door.

“I’m not sure, but I’d like you to check as she didn’t wish to speak with us about what might be troubling her.”

She bowed her head, “I’ll do so immediately.”

“Thank you Alice.” He said, bidding her to leave with a wave of his hand, she abruptly turned around and headed for where Chi-Chi had likely gone imagining something substantial had occurred to upset her. She had been just fine not more than twenty minutes ago.  _ ‘What could’ve happened?’  _ She wondered in her mind as she made her way down the hallway.

As Alice vanished into the castle Gyu-Mao saw a new form approaching from the air, his old martial arts senses kicking in as there was an aura coming towards him. One that was quite strong but he couldn’t tell exactly who it was. 

Spiraling through the air Goku saw the huge castle, the one that had been saved after putting out the flames around Fire Mountain.  _ ‘Man it’s been so long since I've been here. Things really look great! I guess the Ox-King has been doing a lot better with so many people in the village down below too!’  _ He could see at least fifty or sixty houses with people and other ones that looked like shops and businesses.

He didn’t remember everything looking like this before, but he chalked it up to it being so long since he’d been here. Feeling out for the power that he believed was Chi-Chi he located another strong person before that. “Hey down there!” He called out having two men on the balcony shift their heads up at him.

Directing Nimbus downwards so that he just stopped above the ledge. Sitting just beyond the edge of the railing Goku offered a wave/salute with his two fingers from his head. “Hey there Ox-King! I know it’s been awhile but-”

“Son Goku?!” He shouted, the instant recognition of the boy who had become an adult was immediate. No one looked like him, no one could ever have that kind of hair. The only thing that had changed with the boy had been his height. But looking at him now, he felt a vein throb and his hand clenched into a fist in his lap. If he had his axe next to him he’d jump up and begin attempting to lop his head off- But he didn’t do that anymore. 

Kenyo looked at the strange man, he’d never seen him before.  _ ‘Some old friend?‘  _ He wondered, the name didn’t sound familiar to him at all.  _ ‘Chi-Chi never mentioned him, but could he be why she’s so upset? Would be strange that he’d pop up after Chi-Chi just blitzed inside?’  _ He looked to his father in-law and saw the obvious anger on his face. Knowing this was one of the better moments for him to just… figure things out than jumping headlong into a conversation.

Oblivious to the other two men’s reaction, though surprised at the tone that Gyu-Mao had with him, Goku just laughed like he normally did and scratched the back of his head. “Eh, yeah I know it’s been a few years.” There was some tension here but he guessed it was because he just dropped by unexpectedly. His friends never seemed to like him doing that. Unless they were in trouble then they were all for it.

“I’ll say it has.” He growled, a low reverberating sound came out from Gyu-Mao. Releasing a heavy breath through his nose like a bull the former brutal king was trying to slowly count back from ten.  _ Let the boy explain himself, I can’t just lop his head off like I want to for what he did to Chi-Chi. Calm down Ox-King calm down… you know Master Roshi wouldn’t appreciate you acting this way.’  _ He was doing everything rational to keep his anger in check. But the man who had run out on his daughter after promising to marry her, getting her pregnant, and then not doing a damn thing to come back and check up on either of them! That was really stressing his calming mechanisms, he could forgive maybe one of those faults… but he was going to need a damn good excuse!

The bizarre silence continued for a minute but Gyu-Mao needed to have this chat with Goku. As a father, and grandfather, he needed some serious answers. “Kenyo, I’ll need a few minutes in private.” He didn’t look towards his son-in-law as he spoke. 

“Are you sure? You seem a little tense.” Kenyo remarked wanting to understand this as well but knowing that there might be more than he even wanted to know going on if it was upsetting his wife and father so much. 

Releasing a pent up breath, he closed his eyes and nodded, “Yes I am sure,” His tone dropped to a more calm plea.” Please just give me ten minutes.”

Kenyo didn’t respond. He politely nodded his head, standing up from his seat. Tucking it back in he made his way to the door. Pausing just one last time to look at the new arrival then his father-in-law. He wasn’t sure about leaving him alone but it was his King and his Dad.  _ He can handle himself.  _ Not wanting to waste more time he made his way towards where his wife and son might be located and make sure they were doing alright.

Giving Kenyo a minute to depart, Gyu-Mao turned his chair completely and crossed his arms over his chest. He was going to give the son of Gohan one chance to explain himself and one chance only. He also wasn’t going to be forgiving if it was a bad one either. But he had to at least hear him out, “Alright, tell me why you’re here, Son Goku?”

Goku was a bit confused, there was a lot of hostile waves in Gyu-Mao’s ki that was making even him feel uncomfortable. It wasn’t at all what he experienced when his friends got upset with him over something. There really seemed to be something wrong with how he was looking at him and Goku didn’t like it. “Is something wrong?”

The King leaned forward slightly, “Should there be?” 

“I guess you’re like Chi-Chi.” He said watching the other man’s face shift slightly confused. “Like my daughter?” Goku nodded. “There’s something wrong and I’m guessing it might be from when I left several years ago.” Seeing the subtle shift in Gyu-Mao’s face as he talked told him that he was probably on the right track. “I can guess that’s why. I know I promised I would be back, but I just sort of lost track of things.”

“That’s putting it mildly, Son Goku. Do you have any idea what you did to my daughter?” He asked not hiding his contempt of the man in front of him. “I thought Gohan, of all people would’ve taught you how to be a proper young man and not do what you did to my beloved little girl.”

_ So it does have to do with Chi-Chi, I guess they are both upset that I left.  _ “I know I left, but I had to.”

“Tell me why? Why did YOU-” He almost rose up from his chair, his own personal anger boiling over, but he stopped himself.  _ ‘Give him a chance, give him a chance.’  _ Despite all his desire to rise up and throttle him he put himself back down in his seat, but his finger tapped in an impatient fidget against his knee. 

“You left her after having your way with her in my own home, in her own bed…” He shook his head, “As a man can you tell me why you did that to my daughter. Tell me it wasn’t some personal notch on your belt, that my daughter's virginity is some tale you laud to other men about, that she isn’t one of many women you’ve taken.”

It was Goku’s turn to be silent. Looking at the Ox-King he got a better idea of why he was angry.  _ But what is he talking about? I never touched Chi-Chi… but I don’t really remember that night very well. Chi-Chi was just so excited that night and we stayed out and watched the stars. But, then I woke up and then Piccolo showed up. _

Bringing a hand to his head Goku pushed into his memories trying to find what it was that they had done. He had some flashbacks but nothing that held any real water as he wasn’t sure if it was actually him remembering or his imagination.

“Gyu-Mao. I can see that you aren’t really happy with me.” There was a twinge of annoyance in the older man’s face that Goku caught, “But I promise.” Holding up his hand in the air, “I never meant to hurt Chi-Chi, I just… I get caught up in things and everyone just needs my help and I’m forgetful of the small things.” Lowering his hand Goku bowed his head. “I’m not the smartest person out there and I do act without thinking, but I swear on my Grandpa that I didn’t mean to ever do you or Chi-Chi harm.”

The Ox-King looked hard at the boy, though he did feel that throttling him was still appropriate. He’d be in line to recall that he hadn’t always been the gentle father he’d tried being. Hell, he knew that there were heads rolling because of his own past.  _ ‘The boy is being genuine. I’ve never known him to be one for acting or putting on a show.’  _ His recollection that Goku had craved food more than money was obvious upon meeting him, and before this he had to remind himself that Gohan’s son had never done anything to hurt his daughter and had only acted out of self defense and even went so far as to help him when his castle was engulfed in flames, even after fighting him. 

Taking a deep calming breath, he gave Goku a long hard look over. “You really swear that to me, Goku? Truly, that you would forsake your Grandfather if you’re lying to me?”

“I swear.” Returning the gaze to the Ox-King with several more moments of silence as one struggled with the duties of a father, but on the other he recalled that the man before him wasn’t just defined by a single night.

“Alright… I forgive those transgressions but I need an explanation.” He relaxed, dropping his arms and gesturing to the chair across from him. “Sit down Goku and let’s talk.” Slipping from the cloud Goku took a position on the other side of the table. “Tell me everything, Goku, since you left. I may let my feelings over what happened slide. But that doesn’t mean I absolve you of leaving my daughter like you did. Had you returned within a month or two I could understand, but it’s been almost three years and not once did you attempt anything. That alone would make me toss you from my Kingdom forever… but I know that the man who killed Piccolo, defeated his son twice deserves a chance to explain himself.” 

Moving his hands underneath his chin he looked over his knuckles at the father of his grandson. “I will listen, but be warned if I don’t like what I have to hear you may  _ never,  _ and I mean  _ Never  _ set foot in my kingdom again or I will do everything within my power to see you banished.” Stressing the words and how deeply serious he was he cracked his knuckles. 

“Was my leaving that bad?” Goku asked, he’d never had anyone talk to him like this. Sure people who were doing bad things said stuff like this to him all the time. But Ox-King was a good person, so was Chi-Chi, why were they so upset? He’d only stayed for a night, what could’ve happened that made them so furious with him that they’d never want to see him again?

Sighing, Gyu-Mao continued, “Goku you hurt my daughter in more ways than just abandoning her.”

“But I didn’t mea-”

“I know what you meant-” His voice cutting off his with a snarl. “Calming breaths,” He spoke aloud breathing. Closing his eyes and counting backwards he then restarted his conversation. “Goku just because you mean well or do things doesn’t mean you don’t hurt people and my beloved little Chi-Chi was almost broken by what you did.”

“Broken? But… she was so strong, I’ve never felt anyone so strong before.” The woman who fought him in the tournament, who blasted him through trees and was so happy and excited to be with him.  _ ‘What did I do?’  _ Now even he was feeling more guilt falling upon his shoulders, now he really wanted to remember what happened that night.  _ Did we get into a fight? _

Shaking his head, Goku had always been a bit too naive in Gyu-Mao’s mind. He never quite understood his daughter’s fixation upon the boy, but he  _ had,  _ had been a good and kind boy in the past. So understanding that he had no idea that he’d just up and abandoned his pregnant daughter. Of course he had no idea that she was pregnant, obviously, but they had done the deed in haste he then ran off just as quickly. That was probably why he wasn’t just going to forgive him.

Sitting down had been the right call. Talking with someone like Son Goku revealed that there were some parts of a good man there. Not a great man, because in his mind there could be no one who would abandon a woman whom he promised to marry and then without a word for three years just pop back into her life. He still had questions. “Explain to me what happened after Piccolo was defeated again, why did it take so long for you to finally come back here?”

“Gee, well it’s been awhile but I guess I could start from the beginning if that’s okay. So many crazy things happened since then.” Goku replied, not sure what he would want to know. But Gyu-Mao nodded, “Please Goku tell me what happened.”

“Alright…”

  
So Goku told him everything, that once he had chased after Piccolo which had been a trap. Leading to Bulma and Krillin being taken hostage by Piccolo he had to gather the Dragon Balls for him. The promise of Bulma’s head being delivered on a pike and Krillin being sealed away if he didn’t wasn’t comforting promise but he couldn’t outright attack the green demon because his friend’s lives were in his hands. So Goku did as he was asked, taking almost a full three months to track down the Dragon Balls. Bulma had escaped and met up with Goku after the fact, Krillin remained behind and the threat of his revival was in jeopardy.

So Goku and Piccolo ended with a massive clash, but during the confrontation a jumbled wish put both Piccolo and Goku into an altered reality. They were stuck together for over a year, as his friends would have to wait to gather them and wish him free. Of course that wasn’t a pleasant time for both as they ended up getting into fights constantly. Piccolo was dead set on getting his revenge but also remained trapped as a result of the garbled wish. So the two learned to cooperate, but mostly tolerate one another. This realm was filled with all kinds of monsters and wasn’t anything like the Earth they both were familiar with.

A forced truce was established and both parties had to learn to work with the other, and perhaps gain a level of mutual respect as Goku no longer had any desire to kill Piccolo and he had no interest in killing him. After almost a year it was time to be wished out of that mess and so. Goku’s friends decided to bring him back, but Goku being the forgiving soul that he was asked for both of them to come back. As leaving Piccolo behind in that other reality wouldn’t be fair, after all, they both had gone through the trials and tribulations together and without the other it was doubtful they would’ve survived.

“Alright that’s about a year and a half Goku, so what about the other half?” Ox-King said mildly impressed with Goku’s tale, the boy wasn’t the kind that embellished anything and was genuine in his accomplishments. He had to be if he was trained by his teacher Master Roshi.

“Well somehow the wish allowed these monsters to infect people and we had to go and stop them as they were on Earth. That was actually pretty easy, because Piccolo could detect who it was along with Kami. That took a few more months to get through.” It was weird seeing Kami and Piccolo working together, but to his friends seeing him willing to forgive the same guy who blew a hole through his chest was also unexpected.   
  
It was a crazy time, fighting down monsters disguised as people. Saving the world again for who knows how many times. Kami once again offered Goku the position as the planet’s overseer but still he turned him down. Not wanting to be confined to the Lookout, in his mind, it was far too boring.

“Alright, then what?”

Goku looked down after that, he knew telling him that hopefully would’ve been enough. But Ox-King wanted to know what else had transpired, which he would probably be ashamed to admit. “Goku?” His stern voice catching Goku’s attention back to him.

“After that… nothing.”

“Nothing?” Gyu-Mao didn’t understand.

“Well that was it, there wasn’t anything crazy to fight. So I just went back to adventuring, it had been awhile so I kind of forgot about what happened after so long.”

Leaning forward Gyu-Mao did feel some anger return but he wasn’t going to act on it. “So, you forgot about my daughter then?”

He slightly tipped his head, the Ox-King released a frustrated grunt and rubbed his face. “That upsets me Goku, if you had still been involved and come back after all of that I might be more forgiving, but you took another six plus months to finally return here, and it wasn’t even because of her was it?”

There was a silence, the younger man had nothing to say to that. What could he say?

“Son Goku…” The Ox-King’s voice reverberated as he stood up from his chair. Reigning in his anger he brought out the voice of a leader, patriarch, and most of all a father. “While I forgive you for what you did. Acting not out of some mild personal interest for this planet I do not wish you any harm and I nor anyone else will ever seek to do you harm from this kingdom. However,” His voice became harsher as he placed his hand on the table the other pointing a finger directly at the younger man. “I hereby demand that you leave this kingdom and never return.”

“What?” He was taken aback, “Why can’t-”

“Because you still hurt my most precious little girl. She was devastated and still reels from what happened, until _she_ decides to speak with you. Of her own free will, not by me or anyone else. Then I may allow you back, but I will not now, or ever let you near my little girl or my grandson for what you’ve done.”

“Grandson?”  _ What is he talking about, I didn’t do anything to hurt Chi-Chi, I told him the truth. So why can’t I even talk to her?  _ “Gyu-Mao, please could I-”

“Absolutely not-!” He shouted him down vehemently. “Son Goku please,” He pointed his finger away from the kingdom. “Leave my home and do not bother my family again.”

Goku shook his head, “I don’t understand, I know I forgot but I didn’t-”

“Leave, you are no longer welcome here.” Ox-King said turning his back on him and walking towards the balcony doors. “If you remain I will get my axe and I will not stop until you are gone, one way or another.” His glare and voice left little doubt to even Goku that he was dead serious.

Not wanting to start a fight over nothing, Goku did what he was asked and jumped on his cloud. Floating some distance away from the location until finally Gyu-Mao closed the doors and headed inside satisfied that he was far enough away. Goku… he needed to think, but more importantly he  _ needed  _ to talk to Chi-Chi. If she was really that hurt he had to apologize.

_ But wait, Gyu-Mao said he had a grandson? Boys don’t have kids… so did Chi-Chi get a kid, is that why they won’t let me near her?  _ His face smoothed out into a determined look.  _ I will talk with her… but not right now. _

In the other wing of the castle Chi-Chi was sitting with Gohan in her lap, the small boy playing with a toy while resting against his mother. Often wanting to spend more time with her than anyone else his objections were minute except when Icarus came crawling over for attention.

Yet Chi-Chi wasn’t speaking, her husband was in a chair across from her. “I’m not going to pressure you Chi-Chi, I know it was hard. You’ve never wanted to speak of it and I don’t ever want you to think that I will make you. But I know that you’re not yourself, you are hurting because of what this man did to you I believe. So if you want to talk I’ll listen, I won’t judge you and I won’t ever blame you for what happened. I love you and our son, I don’t care if I'm not his biological dad. I only want to be in your life because of what you mean to me.”

Kenyo knew that this was the hardest topic to ever broach with his wife. She absolutely locked up about what happened, she thought it was some massive black eye to her as a woman and her pride as a mother. Several times he’d even brought it up she told him  _ ‘Not now, not ever’  _ before leaving. He just wanted to understand, he wanted to help. Seeing her like this now only made his desire to see her well grow. Because this wasn’t her, this was not the beautiful strong woman he’d married. This was a woman wallowing in some forced shame or guilt, one that no one would blame her for. Not him, not her father, and not anyone in the village.

She was their princess, and if she made a mistake it wasn’t anything. Her father had done the same, she was human. But most importantly he loved her, but he hated seeing her like this. Tearing herself up and isolating herself. 

“Please, just talk to me. I know it has to hurt and no matter what you say. I won’t tell anyone, I won’t leave you,” Sliding closer Kenyo put his hand on his wife’s. Her fingers were still holding onto Gohan who was shaking something at the small dinosaur between their feet.

The moment dragged on, and his weariness showed as she did.  _ Nothing.  _

Remaining motionless, her hand just squeezing his fingers against her son.

  
Five minutes later, a small crack shown as her eyes teared up. For a moment he saw beyond the dark brown eyes, they showed a vulnerable woman not the rigid amazon that she showed everyone else. “I’m sorry, but. I can’t. That night, it changed me and I just want to forget it.”

He moved next to her, bringing an arm around her. Close to embracing her, knowing that Chi-Chi didn’t like anyone too close to squeezing her intimately. A friendly hug from a friend, her father, or Gohan didn’t bother her. She was put off by the idea of an emotional embrace, of which he could assume stemmed from the man showing up.

“Was it him? The man who came here on a golden cloud who did this to you?” As he spoke he could feel the light tensing of her body. “You don’t have to tell me.” He whispered bringing his hand to her head and drawing her face to his shoulder. “I love you Chi-Chi, and I’m always here for you.”

She didn’t resist, right now she just wanted some comfort. Letting Gohan slip from her hands as the small boy went to the floor to play with Icarus just a foot away from her, she drew her hands under Kenyo’s shoulders and gripped his shirt. Holding onto his clothes with a tight grip as she just breathed in deeply. “I don’t want to remember that night, I just want to forget it.” She told him quietly against his skin. 

“I know,” He told her running his hands through her hair, “I know you do. But I also know that you don’t want to forgive him. I’ve heard you talking to yourself sometimes. I know that you want payback for what happened.”

There was a small pause, “You shouldn’t eavesdrop on me.” She told him warningly, “I’d like to keep some things private.”

He managed a fake laugh, “You were quite loud about it. I couldn’t help but overhear it. Can you at least tell me why you would want revenge? I don’t believe I have ever heard you say words like that and mean it.”

Chi-Chi wanted to curse at him, but with Gohan playing at her feet she held herself from doing so. “If I tell you a little… will you leave me alone so that I can deal with this myself. This is my problem and my mistake, not you or Dad will be the ones to handle it. This will be my problem and  _ MINE  _ alone.” In her mind it was all her fault, she had been the one to think far too naively that everything would work out as she had imagined in her head. But no, of course once she saw him. She lost her cool composure.  _ For all my big talk I still wasn’t ready to see him again. _

“If you could tell me who he is, there aren’t too many people that I’d know that fly around on a golden cloud and look that strong.”

Taking another moment to compose herself Chi-Chi drew away from her husband, setting her hands on her knees she looked down at her son who was busy chasing after Icarus in a game of pull the tail.

It did not feel so long ago. But it seemed she wasn’t going to ever escape it. “ _ He,  _ that man is the one I fell in love with when I was a little girl. Just at the tender age of twelve, he caught my eye and heart with his innocence and gentle nature.” She bit back a laugh as she recalled that first meeting. “I thought he liked me because he patted by crotch when I was a little girl. He said he wanted to know if I was a girl or not.” She sighed shaking her head. “I just thought he was being cute, I didn’t know he was completely serious. I was just too  _ stupid! Too STUPID!”  _ Her own self loathing coming back for her. “I let a boy who couldn’t even tell that I was a girl trick me into thinking he liked me.” She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. “You probably think I'm an idiot.”

“No, you were a little girl. I won’t judge you for that.” Kenyo told, her moving his hand over hers to assure her that he was going to support her. He’d done dumb things as a kid himself, and Chi-Chi certainly lived a life far different than anyone he’d ever met.

Chi-Chi didn’t respond. “Maybe it was just some childish infatuation, but I thought it was more. That he really did care for me. He helped me and my father without asking for anything in return. Then he said he’d be thinking of me and asked if I would think of him… Oh Kami, what a fool I was.”

He gripped her hand tighter not wanting to interrupt, he wanted her to let it out. To no longer let herself be controlled by a past and dictate her future. 

“Then just my luck he returned later while I was out picking flowers. Everything was in the little girl fantasy book. I’m out by a lake, the warm spring weather and out of the trees drops the boy I fell for. We get to talking and he then makes the promise that I would be his bride someday…” She shook her head, recalling that once treasured memory with a healthy amount of disdain. All of it had been a lie, a cruel, cruel lie that she told herself. “I actually believed him! I should’ve known that something was wrong as we then got into a fight right after.”

  
“A fight?” He didn’t understand, why would someone promise to marry someone then to get into a fight.

“That was him, his way of doing things was to fight, he loved fighting. Anyone who was strong he wanted to challenge and fight them. It didn’t matter who it was, where, when, or why. If they could allow him to have a good fight then he wanted it. Nothing matters more to him than having an incredible fight, even if he ended up nearly dying he would jump right back up and only anticipate the next one. But of course I thought he just liked people who were strong and the best way to get his attention. So I did the only stupid thing I could. I got stronger.”

Kenyo looked at her, she caught his wandering gaze and shook her head. “No, not this strong. I was much weaker before hand. I trained for years, learned all kinds of techniques and became strong enough that I thought I would impress him. If not outright defeat him. I was so confident that he’d be impressed with me.”

Striding up to him, she had recognized him instantly, his hair. That outfit and mannerisms, all of it told her it was the same boy who she had fallen in love with. Just one look and her heart was swooning, she hoped she would get that same reaction. He’d sweep her off his feet and into his arms, praising how beautiful she’d become and how happy he was to be able to make her his bride after so long!

“But nothing happened, he didn’t even remember me, the promise, or anything. I couldn’t believe it at all. I wasn’t anything special, and what he thought I had asked him was related to food. Food?! Can you believe it, all he ever cared about when he wasn’t fighting was filling his bottomless stomach, that the idea of marrying me was me giving him something like cake. I was so upset and then I got my chance to show him up. I was able to fight him and I planned on hurting him, but just like before my hopes were crushed.” The force of a punch that he never hit her with. The force of his arm alone was so great that it sent her flying, knocking her backwards into the wall with a thunderous crash of both pain, embarrassment, and disappointment.

She recalled her few crushing defeats at the hands of  _ that  _ man. She turned to her husband, “You probably see me as weak now, letting him beat me so easily. I wasn’t even a footnote to him.”

“Never, never.” His words growing on emphasis. He grabbed both of her hands turning her towards him, she allowed this. “You are not like that. Chi-Chi, you are the strongest woman I have ever met, don’t ever doubt yourself and your abilities. You used to train with twenty kilos, now your at one hundred and fifty.” He could scarcely imagine her doing it at first, but since he met her he’d only seen her get stronger and stronger. In a way she was practically a superwoman. Clearing trees with her hands and feet, moving at speeds that race cars couldn’t match. She could even fly, to him she was everything and more.

“I know him, I thought I could catch him off guard and get my payback. But he came here and there wasn’t any memory of me again. He didn’t even know who I was… what point would there be in plotting revenge against anyone who barely remembers you. Then… I just think of him, before all of this, my heart still churns,” She lifted her eyes to meet his. “I still love you, I’ve never had anyone like you in my life. But he, I don’t know why I even care about him! I know I should move on, but I don’t want to let go of what he did to me. But I know that also keeps me tethered to him, it affects me every single day.”

Chi-Chi wanted to be a mother, a caregiver, a homemaker. She had never dreamed of being a fighter first, but her lust for vengeance had changed her deeply and fundamentally. Pushing down her greater desires, and even her own family for something that was totally selfish.  _ And for a man who doesn’t even know I exist. _

“While I would love for you to be what I want Chi-Chi, that isn’t who you are. I see it, you want this and maybe it will heal you or it might not and while I would never want you to be suffering like I see you now. Maybe… Maybe you should just talk that man, forgive him and let go. Then you can be free from what holds you back.” She looked away.

“It doesn’t have to be today, tomorrow, a week, or a year from now. You’ll know when it will be right. I know you, you’re just as brilliant as me.” He flashed her a smile to which she gave him a small one. “I will stand by you no matter what choice you make.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be here if you need me, today just try and think about what you want and if you don’t find that answer. Then tomorrow is another day.”

She nodded and he pulled back, “Find me if you need to talk, hun.” Kenyo said before leaving, not wanting to intrude too much upon his wife’s decision. Because it was hers, it had to be hers in his mind. Or else she might never let what happened go.

After watching him leave she fell back onto the bed her body laying sideways across as she watched her son look towards the door then to her. “Come here Gohan.” She said motioning with her finger. The little chubby toddler didn’t know why his mom was acting strange but he waddled his way over, going faster was easier than going slower to him. Stopping just at the edge of the bed his finger in his mouth Gohan’s free hand touched his mother’s hand. Her hand wrapped around his wrist and pulled him upwards and onto her stomach.

Running her hand through his black mane she stared at him, taking in all of the features that made Gohan her little boy, but also reminded so staunchly of  _ him.  _

“Hi Momma!” Gohan said looking down at her, she smiled. “Hi sweetie.” Pulling his fingers from his mouth he settled his hands on the top of her shirt. “Momma sad?” Noticing that her demeanor wasn’t what he used to.

“No. I’m not sad Gohan.” She told him, softly pinching his cheeks which caused his father’s ‘memento’ to wrap around her wrist.

That furry brown tail. “This thing is more your real father than anything I've ever met. I don’t think there will ever be a day I don’t have this reminder of yours.” 

Gohan cocked his head to the side. “Dadda?” He replied.  _ How I wish I could explain this to him. But I don’t know if that will ever be the case.  _ “Not dadda, Gohan, the man who made you inside of me. He isn’t your daddy or your true father. The man outside is the one who cares more about you and me than the one who gave you that tail.” Sliding her hands around his head she pulled his tiny body into her chest. “I don’t know what to do Gohan.”

Her son didn’t object, his hands just gripped her and held her tight. That tightness from him she welcomed, the bond that wasn’t broken or changed because of her mistakes. Gohan loved her unconditionally and she loved him as well. 

Rubbing his hair Chi-Chi let her eyes drift closed, not even bothering to knock the dirty little dinosaur that climbed up onto the bed to curl beside her. It appeared all of them needed a little break. Her fingers continued to slip through her son’s hair causing even his energy to fade as she felt his breathing slow and become a gentle snore. Falling asleep between her breasts,  _ Just like when he was my baby, and the only thing keeping me grounded.  _

To the point of dozing off herself, the emotional drain just as heavy on her body if not more so than her physical training she put herself through lulled her into a gentle slumber. 

_ Maybe… after… the festival… I’ll…-  _ Were her last thoughts as her head fell to the side and she went to sleep.

From a small crack in the door stood Gyu-Mao having bid Kenyo to leave. He saw his little girl and held his hand close to his chest.  _ ‘I did the right thing. Son Goku is not worthy of this, he won’t hurt you anymore Chi-Chi. I’ll see to that. You just rest, I don’t need some damn alien ruining my daughter and her family.’ _


	3. Unexpected

It had been several days since Goku’s unexpected arrival. The rest of the Kingdom proceeded as normal, save their princess becoming a bit of a shut in. But she wasn’t a normal person, no one who could blow away an entire storm with a massive Kamehameha would ever be considered ‘normal’. 

No one also made mention of Son Goku. The bizarre orange gi wearing fighter had not made any sort of grand appearance. Gyu-Mao had guessed right, that the boy had gotten the memo and decided not to stick around in his lands. 

To the ruler of the area this was the best decision he could make. Keeping that  _ boy  _ away had been ideal for his family’s continued peace and prosperity. He may know how to throw a punch, but Ox doubted very much that he would ever be able to manage more than that. He’d never come off as bright or cunning in any other aspects. “Having my daughter waste anymore time on that miserable cur would only ruin her. She’s perfectly happy without him here.” He told himself, sipping his morning coffee out of a glass fit for a man of his size.

“What was that, sir?” It was another one of his palace servants. Having caught him musing aloud apparently.

“Nothing,” He said chuckling. “Just talking to myself.” Acting nonchalant about expressing himself so openly. “Has Chi-Chi left her room yet?” 

“I’m not sure, my lord. I haven’t been able to speak with anyone about the princess.” She filled up his large cup before moving to set out his breakfast. The large spread was well fit for a man who was three times as broad as the next one in the kingdom. 

“Do you know what happened? I’ve never seen her become a bit of a recluse, even when the young prince in waiting was born she still came out.”

That troubled Gyu-Mao but he didn’t share his feelings on that. He believed that Chi-Chi was was just keeping to herself to avoid having any further confrontations. Deciding to spend that time with her child for the majority of it. 

He’d gone to visit her everyday but she didn’t seem too interested in talking to him, or even her husband. Kenyo had told Ox that he was worried about her as well. She seemed to be purposefully isolating herself, talking with Gohan about their visitor. Perhaps looking for their young child to be able to give her the right answer.

_ ‘I don’t know what to tell her, Dad. She hasn’t spoken much about it since he arrived, she keeps talking with our son about that… man. Son Goku you said his name was right?’  _ He didn’t want to push her too hard in the wrong direction, knowing that for someone like Chi-Chi it wasn’t family support she needed but time to herself to make a decision. What that decision was for, belonged to Chi-Chi.

_ ‘Do you think she’ll want to see him? Maybe try and talk things out?’  _ Kenyo’s question had been dismissed by Gyu-Mao. Seeing his daughter want anything to do with Goku? Hah, he’d laugh at the notion. He’d bet his fortune that she wanted nothing more to do with him.  _ ‘I guess. But maybe it’s what she needs? You know like closure, that chance to finally tell him off and be done with him, or maybe let him explain himself.’  _

Looking around he noticed that the servant had retired to the castle leaving him alone for the moment. “I don’t want her talking with him. She doesn’t need him, she’s just fine where she is. Even if-!” he stressed that if. “She might want to have closure he won’t let it go, he wants to talk to Chi-Chi, and he might very well be able to convince her to sit down with him.” Shaking his head, repulsed by the notion that she might forgive him, or hell, accept him. 

“You still talk way to loudly, Dad.” 

The monarch shifted lightly, turning around he saw his son in law. He offered him a smile, “Sometimes you do when you’re as big as myself.” Laughing off his new guest’s arrival. “What brings you out here this morning?”

Kenyo said nothing releasing a mental sigh, “The usual, breakfast and a chance to talk with you.” A paper was under his arm wearing his morning clothes of knee length khakis and a tight athletic shirt. “I’m getting concerned about my wife.” Taking a seat opposite of him, he cut a small portion from the spread for himself. “I’m giving her space to work through this, I know she needs it but she’s just in her room sleeping with Gohan between letting him rough house with Icarus and playing Gohan ball.” It wasn’t a game he was super comfortable with either, but Chi-Chi apparently felt like tossing her son around. “I’m thinking about calling in a few favors from some friends to get them back out here and to talk with Chi-Chi. I think maybe having her sit down with a specialist might do her some good… unless you’d like to tell me what happened with her?”

As Chi-Chi’s husband he had learned that only three people knew about what happened between her and Goku in detail. Obviously the two participants knew what happened, but Chi-Chi had confided in her father afterwards. It was why the man had been vetting almost every single suitor that approached her stringently. 

“Would you tell me?” Kenyo wanted to know not because he had to hear it, but, if it would help his lovely wife than he’d need some information. “I know it’s not something you should share with me, but this is tearing me up seeing her like this.”

Gyu-Mao took a moment to consider what his son in law was asking of him. But he took that moment and decided. “No, it’s nothing I can share. If Chi-Chi won’t tell you then I can not. Even as her father and you being my son, I can’t break my daughter’s promise not to tell anyone what happened.” Because all it took was him saying the wrong thing and then he might make things worse. That wasn’t the primary reason of course why he wouldn’t share his daughter’s personal hell despite his wishes to do that.

Kenyo released a grunt, finding himself frustrated with this whole situation. Gyu-Mao wasn’t helping him and his wife had become a shut in. He had stopped by and talked with her only five times, every other time she had the door locked and refused to come out.

Gyu-Mao started into his own breakfast. “Let’s give her until the festival tomorrow. Maybe the atmosphere will help bring her out of that damper mood. Although,” He sliced into his steak and eggs. “It may be that she’s waiting to make sure that Son Goku left. Not wanting to chance him coming back or giving him a reason to stick around.”

He looked from his food to his father, “But he does have a reason to stick around.” His tone becoming more somber. 

“What are you talking about, if Chi-Chi doesn’t want to see him then he will have no reason to stay. That boy will get bored eventually, I know he can’t sit still for very long.” He had a good grasp of Goku’s personality and since he hadn’t tried arguing too hard about seeing his daughter he doubted he would remain around for more than a day or two. “That boy would only leave if there was…” Ox trailed off as his words gave him a brilliant idea. “That’s it!”

“What’s it?” He saw the older man give a hearty laugh and smile, “There was a what?” His dad seemed quite pleased with himself over something.

“I’ll get him to leave, the mere rumor of some strong fighters across the globe looking for a challenge, specifically the man who beat Piccolo and they would like to fight someone their equal.” He snapped his fingers grinning at his own cleverness. “That is exactly what I’ll do. He’ll speed off to the next big fight and we won’t have to deal with him. After searching he’ll forget all about this and we can go back to being a normal family.”

While he appreciated his father in law’s little plan it didn’t totally sit well with him. “That sounds swell, but what about him seeing,  _ her son?”  _ The guy would want to see his son,  _ at least once right,  _ then there was a whole mess of problems to deal with. “What if the guy tries to get visitation or fight for custody of his son. Maybe we should just have him sign away his parental rights if he’s still here so he doesn’t come back and drag this into a huge legal issue.” Stressing that point, he knew that there was a whole mess of a parental court jargon that could make this non-issue into a recurring one.

“That boy doesn’t even know about Gohan and I intend to keep it that way.” His mind letting slip that the had mentioned his grandson, but he hadn’t directly mentioned that Chi-Chi had his son. “Besides he has his real parents here in the castle, there’s no good that will come of Goku being involved with that boy’s upbringing I promise you.”

While Kenyo would want it to be that easy he couldn’t accept that, “But doesn’t he have the right to know though? I would hope that if I had a son I’d at least know. Even if he doesn’t want anything to do with him, what if Gohan has questions later. I think it's a little obvious that he doesn’t carry many similarities to me.”

Waving him off with his large hand, dismissing such concerns, “Gohan doesn’t need to know anything for a long time. With Goku not in his life he won’t care to meet his biological father.” He gave an approving look and nod to Kenyo, “Because his real father will have been the only one in his life. He won’t care about meeting the man who ran out on his mom.”

“I appreciate the compliment, but I can’t with a clean conscience let a man not know he has a son.” He had grown up in pharmaceuticals, science, and medicine. He understood through many of his colleagues how much having a child changed a person, sometimes for the better sometimes not. But him personally, not telling a man that information was cruel and unjust.

“He doesn’t, that is boy is yours and Chi-Chi’s. He will grow up strong like his mother and smart and kind like you. Anything that Goku could teach him would be wasted.”

It still didn’t sit well with him, but he could see that Ox wasn’t going to drop it. “Alright,” He conceded. “How about we change topics to something more pleasant and decide on our fireworks display for the upcoming festival. I have a few ideas for some ideas that you and the village might like.”

“Alright let’s hear them, I’m all ears.” Gyu-Mao probably knew they had gotten off track and it was making Kenyo uncomfortable discussing it. It didn’t matter though, he’d take care of his daughter and grandson. No matter what anyone told him, even Chi-Chi. Goku was banished from this place.

A small knock on the balcony door a few minutes later turned the men’s attention. It was Alice, holding Gohan. “Excuse me, gentlemen. But the lady departed from the house and asked that I bring Gohan out here to relax while she took time to,” Alice coughed, “Think things over outside.”

“Hi Dad! Hi Gwamps!” Gohan called out slipping from the older maid’s hands and jumping towards his seat on the table. “Oh! Food! Food!” So this was where all of the tasty smells were coming from? Of course it had to be Grandpa and Dad! “Gohan Hungry!” He declared grabbing his large plastic child fork as he looked to the other people and awaited someone to serve him up something.

“Chi-Chi left? How long ago?” Kenyo asked,  _ I think this is a good thing.  _ But he wasn’t entirely sure, since he hadn’t even heard her leave in her usual fashion.

“Maybe ten minutes ago, she told me to wait and to make sure no one bothered her or disrupt her trying to leave.” The maid told them, coming over to grab a small plate and fill it to the brim with food that would serve as a small appetizer for Gohan.

“Did my daughter say anything else?” The father was worried that maybe something had happened while he was out conversing with his son in law. 

“No I'm afraid not, just that she’d be back in a few hours.” Before turning her attention to the small boy who began digging into his food with large fork and spoon shoveling what he could while his caregiver wiped and cleaned him up while he made a mess of himself. “Oh Gohan don’t ruin your clothes.” She chided as he dropped a piece of jam on his white coveralls. Before wiping him down and his childish laughter making her smile.

Both men looked at each other before continuing with their meal in relative silence. Both were thinking different thoughts, but both were centered around Chi-Chi. 

Chi-Chi herself had fled to her own quiet place outside, having found that she’d sulked and lounged around enough that she was ready to face the world again. Though she made her way to a place where everything had started to go wrong. 

A small lake with a bed of flowers, a tree that was now broken in half had managed to grow from a portion of its roots. Everything about the place spoke of tranquility, beauty and nature. “Where you made your first lie to me, and then broke it just as fast.” Chi-Chi said, standing just on the edge of the still crystal blue waters. 

Her boots were lightly damp on the soggy ground that bordered on the water's edge. Looking back at this place after so long, it brought back all of her old memories. The one’s where she and Goku had their first ‘date’ which ended up turning into a fight. Where she had carved both of their names in the tree that was now shattered as her personal reminder whenever she came back to pick flowers hoping that  _ he _ would be there waiting for her. Eager to make good on his promise but he never did until she found him later.

It was also after she had her heartbroken did she break that tree with her juvenile carvings of love and affection towards him. One strong kick and punch had left it in two broken pieces, the perfect imagery for her own heart. 

Slipping back down she sat back on the ground, the flowers seemingly parting for her as she laid down upon the green grass. Her dark brown eyes looking upwards into the sky, “I thought I was ready for all of this.” The clouds sparse but their floating shapes of kites, boats, and ducks were what transformed in her eyes as she let her vision go out of focus. 

Laying there she took in full breaths of the outside air, she let herself slip into a state of meditation. Only the small lap of a wave from an errant breeze or the smell of pollen from a flower filtered into her mind. Coming back to where it all began was a good way for her to start moving forward again, as clearly breaking the place hadn’t done any good. But as she tried to calm her mind it did not stop, there was a thrumming inside of her heart she just couldn’t stop.

It had been there shortly after Gohan had been born, and had been the same thing that consumed her when training. That feeling of getting stronger so that she could fight for what she wanted.  _ Why do I feel this way?  _ She couldn’t wrap her mind around it, she’d always been able to control herself and her emotions for a majority of her life. But now it felt like her body just wasn’t going to let it go. 

_ It’s like I want the fight, I want this confrontation.  _

It was why she had confined herself to her room. She felt that if she left she’d go after  _ him.  _ That she’d have that fight that her body was now craving, but she didn’t want to do that. She didn’t want anymore to do with him, she wanted him to just leave her alone!

If only it were that simple… “Perhaps I should’ve taken that doctor’s advice more seriously.” Chi-Chi said aloud, her own voice irritated with how she was behaving.

_ ‘Miss Chi-Chi, please understand that your body has gone through some incredible changes. I really don’t know how to explain it but you’ve put on muscle mass that is unnatural for… well, humans.’  _

Chi-Chi stared at her incredulously, did she just hear her right? ‘Did you just say that I’m not human?’

The doctor looked toward her charts avoiding the gaze of the woman, ‘Excuse me? What did you just say to me?’ Chi-Chi became more demanding for her answer. Her own personal doctor had just said that something was unnatural for humans.

The doctor merely fixed her glasses. ‘I’m sorry to say this Mrs. Mao, but you aren’t completely human. I know from previous medical visits and blood tests that what I'm looking at here is not the same person I’m seeing now. This is also of course beyond your pregnancy, there is nothing medically or scientifically that I can explain. Your blood doesn’t match your previous O positive, you’re now a O/Unknown, there is no positive, negative, A, or B. There’s no reason for this… I know this is hard to take in but please look here.’

She turned Chi-Chi’s attention to the monitor. “Look here, do you see the difference?” There were two different pallets of blood, one was a much lighter shade of red while another much darker. 

“One’s brighter and one is not, now what the hell does that have to do with you telling me that I'm not human?” Chi-Chi’s voiced warned, wanting that the doctor get to the point before she found herself thrown out of this doctor's office for probably beating this woman to death. 

“The pallets in your blood are here on the left, the amount of oxygen your cells hold is more than double that of a normal blood. It means your body is capable of pumping oxygen in an accelerated rate, which might explain also how your body’s healing factor is also greater. Normally it takes a woman several weeks to recover from her pregnancy but you, you said that you were fully functional within five days. But then, that isn’t all.” Flipping to another screen it was X-rays of a woman’s shoulder. Clearly one was Chi-Chi’s as the tightness of the muscles and how much darker the bones were.

“And what is this, my body compared to someone else's?”

The doctor nodded, “Yes. I know this is hard to take in, but look.” She brought her finger to the top of the shoulder. “This density is almost three times thicker than a normal males. Even professional bodybuilders don’t have this, then your skeletal structure. These dark bones are even stronger than normal, view this closer up.” She enhanced the screen. Bringing it up at twenty times zoom. “I know it’s not easy to see but this has hardened up considerably, as the bone itself has taken on a similar look of your muscles.”

Chi-Chi just balked at it, there was absolutely no way. She was above average human strength. The doctor was just clearly wrong.

Slipping back into the present from that old memory Chi-Chi wondered how all of this had happened.

_ ‘But that was the truth. I changed so much on the inside I barely noticed it.’  _ As her exterior appearance hadn’t shifted other than her hair had become a bit darker, and her eyes losing their gentle brown and becoming much darker. But that just came with aging… didn’t it?

“What has happened to me?” She muttered aloud, looking at her hand which now bore a new wedding ring on her finger. A plainer gold band with a few gems engraved into it so they didn’t break off when she was training. 

“It seems like a lot.”

Chi-Chi shot up to her feet, her hands clenched tightly as she knew she had been caught unaware, more because of her lax attitude and melancholy she’d been imposing upon herself. Her eyes whipped around to see  _ him.  _

Goku was standing there, his hands down at his sides. His expression one of guilt, a rare thing for even him to show. He’d been watching Gyu-Mao’s castle ever since he left waiting for the chance to approach Chi-Chi. He knew deep in his heart he had to say something, or even if he couldn’t say something, hear it from her. 

To him she looked amazing, he could tell visually as well as sensing her ki. This wasn’t the same girl he’d fought back in the tournament, she had been making huge gains in progress. He would love to have a rematch against her, considering exactly how much strength he was feeling right now. 

_ ‘But that has to wait until after,’  _ Goku told himself. She was a person he’d hurt, and apparently hurt badly. Understanding when Bulma, Launch, or his other friends got upset with him was one thing. But this wasn’t part of his usual antics. 

This stemmed from his conversation from Gyu-Mao. He had never been told to never return, that he couldn’t see a friend because of something that he did. Even if he did feel guilty for leaving her, it was done with the best intentions… but of course that didn’t matter. Chi-Chi seemed fine if not better than ever though.

  
_ ‘So why can’t I just talk to her? What was it that I did?’ _

The silence just continued as Chi-Chi looked at Goku and he back at her. It was a bit of a standoff. Neither side sure how to approach the other. 

“I don’t want to see you.” Chi-Chi told him, the anger and betrayal in her voice hitting him squarely in the chest like a physical blow. She even saw him recoil from it. “Whatever,” She pointed to him then to herself. “Illusion I had about us. There isn’t one anymore, so kindly get out of my fucking life.”

It was another verbal slap, Chi-Chi was furious like before she lashed out in anger because that’s what she had channeled to keep herself focused on her goal of getting stronger. Her calm nature betrayed by his constant surprises,  _ ‘But that’s who he is, pop into your life and pop out not taking a moment to consider anyone but himself!’  _

She held herself back from hitting him as she knew that even if she wanted to fight him,  _ ‘I'm not giving him that. If he wants a fight he won’t get it.’  _

She wanted revenge sure, she wasn’t going to deny herself that. Right now she could probably take him in a fight. But that isn’t what she wanted, not like this. Not in some emotional fueled scrap by the lake where she shared memories with him on so many different levels. It wasn’t going to be on his terms.

“Chi-Chi please… can we talk I-”

“NO!” She shouted at him, her right hand rising up into a fist, “I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to chat, fight, I just want you to LEAVE ME ALONE!” Her voice rising into a painful scream that made Goku cover his ears.  _ Stop.  _ She told her body as her eyes began to water up again,  _ ‘Why is when I see you it makes me want to cry. I hate you, so why do you make me feel like this?’ _

“There’s not much of an excuse, but Chi-Chi I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Didn’t mean?” Her voice almost hiccuped. He most definitely meant too. “Considering everything that happened, you were quite forward about getting what you wanted that night and gullible little Chi-Chi just let you fuck her! But guess what I’m not that Chi-Chi anymore.” 

She shoved her thumb into her chest, “I am strong now, I’m married, I have a loving family, and my life no longer requires stupid, brain dead fighting all the time, leave a girl they promise to marry with a fucking child after one night ASSHOLES like YOU!” Her voice caused the entire lake and ground to shake slightly. Her breathing grew ragged and unsteady as her entire body was trembling. Anger and pain for this man. From the heart he broke. 

“Haven’t you done enough? Can’t you just leave me alone.” Her voice trailed off as her hand dropped and she finally couldn’t stand looking at him. Twisting back around she brought her hands around herself as she tried to keep herself under control. 

Running wasn’t currently an option, if she didn’t stop this, he wouldn’t ever stop. He would keep coming back, Goku was still too dumb to realize when to take a hint.

He was taken aback,  _ ‘I must've really screwed up, but what did I do. I don’t remember anything special happening that night. What is she saying I did?’  _ Goku had spent a few hours in deep thought trying to sift through back to what he actually remembered from that day.

Chi-Chi had been next to him naked, she had a little blood on her shoulder and between her legs. But she was covered in white stuff, well not covered, but she had loads of what looked like stains on her body, especially between her legs which was leaking the stuff. It didn’t smell that appetizing but Chi-Chi smelled fantastic, like some rich spicy honey. 

But after that Piccolo came by with his friends and that was it. He went into fight mode but of course Chi-Chi yelled something at him while he left. But he didn’t remember, was that why she was still so mad?

_ ‘If I knew I could at least apologize for what I did.’  _

“I know I hurt you, and I should have known I was hurting you more when I left. But I didn’t mean for this to happen, if I could take it back I know I would.” Goku came a little closer, but as he did, he felt Chi-Chi’s own aura shift sensing his movements closer. 

Chi-Chi just shook her head, “No you don’t, you’re just saying all of this because you realize you screwed up.” Turning her head slightly back to look at him, “You didn’t come to apologize, you didn’t even recognize me. Just like before, so please quit acting like you mean what your saying.”

“That is true, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to apologize. I don’t want to hurt my friends-”

She burst out laughing, giving him an amused snicker before it vanished. “Friends huh? Is that what we were? Silly me I thought you would’ve remembered.”

_ ‘Oh… dammit.’  _

He looked down, “You’re right. You were my bride. You wanted to get married.” 

“Even now you still don’t know what I am to you Goku, I’m glad I’m through with you. Because even now you still don’t get it or even care!”   
  


“Stop that!” Goku shouted at her. Why did she keep saying he didn’t care, he did. That’s why he was here, that’s why he wanted to apologize. “I know you are angry, you have a lot of reasons to be with me. But you don’t have to be this way, can’t I just say I’m sorry and try and make it up to you?” He didn’t understand why she was acting this way. Sure Chi-Chi had gotten angry with him, but she was making him feel worse than he already was. Couldn’t she just let him apologize and let her know that he meant it.

“It’s the only reason your here, it’s all about you. That’s how it's always been. You have to apologize and have to do right by your friend’” She mocked using air quotes. “You and I never happened, just like the promise you made and never kept, so just skip off to the next big fight. Go find Piccolo or start up the next World Martial Arts championship. That’s all you care about, because if it doesn’t involve you having to use your fists you can’t enjoy it now can you?”

“Why are you being this way? You never were before?” Goku said looking at her hurt, she just smirked clearly amused. Yet as they argued Goku felt pain but also… excitement. She looked, good. Her words were like punches. Taunting him, mocking him for his failings like some of his enemies.  _ ‘Why. Why do I like that she’s fighting me like this.’  _ She made him feel awful, but he saw her liking this.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“You liked to pull my tail, you thought I was cute. You really liked this place and the flowers, I know you miss your mom.” Goku stated simply. “I don’t know a lot, but I do remember you, Chi-Chi.”

She rolled her eyes. Finding her pain slipping more into annoyance now.  _ ‘Same old Goku, he hasn’t changed one bit.’  _ “It doesn’t matter Goku stop trying to do,” she gestured with her hand at him, waving it up and down. “Whatever this is, I won’t forgive you. I refuse to.”

“Why? I want to make it up to you, I want to show you that I'm sorry.” Goku was confused, she was being stubborn like Bulma. 

“I just don’t care, you’ve been out of my life for three years and that makes any apology you try and offer pointless. I’m married now with a man who actually returns the feelings I show him.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “And as far as I’m concerned he’s a far better man than you will ever be.”

Goku’s eyes twitched slightly. “Is he strong? Like you?” Something about that felt like a proper challenge and he wanted to know if he would have to be more like that guy to actually apologize to her. 

“No Goku, not everyone cares about how strong someone can swing a fist. He’s emotionally and mentally much stronger than you.” She tossed her head back,  _ ‘maybe I was wrong, maybe I just need to prove to him that Kenyo is a far better man and father than he’d ever be. Then maybe he’ll get it.’  _

“How?” Goku clearly didn’t follow.

_ ‘Should’ve seen that question coming.’  _ “He helped me get over what you did to me, he comforted me when you never did. He also took up the responsibility of raising my son even though he’s not the father. He took all the baggage I was carrying without even asking any questions. I doubt you ever would do the same Goku, you’d probably just find some excuse to leave. Because that’s what you’re good at.”

While annoyed, and feeling a little more amped as she tried her best to insult him he still had some questions. One in particular. “You had a baby?”

She snorted, “Yes, I thought it was with someone I loved. Imagine my surprise that in nine months I gave birth to my first son, I thought you’d like the name too, He’s called Gohan.” Chi-Chi watched as Goku’s jaw dropped, but she didn’t want to end it there, she wanted him to know! Know what he had left behind. 

“Yeah a small chubby baby boy, a mess of black spikey hair, an insatiable appetite, a knack for rough housing, boundless energy, and a brown furry tail that I love to pull.”

It took a moment, all of those words slowly making sense to Goku. But at the same time, how? What had they done together?!  _ Why can’t I remember?  _ He did get the idea, as crazy as it sounded. “You mean…” He was almost speechless.  _ Chi-Chi and me…  _ “I have a son? Like Grandpa did with me?”

“Yes, he’s almost three. And he’s very smart, friendly, and everyone in the village loves him. Don’t worry I won’t ask you to raise him, I know that’s too much responsibility for you. Wouldn’t want your training to be reduced now would we?”

Then he did something unexpected. He smiled, that big goofy smile. “I have a son. Wow. That’s… that’s just amazing!” Goku shouted enthusiastically, “Man a son, and you named him Gohan. `Oh that’s incredible Chi-Chi.” Before Chi-Chi could make sense of it, Goku then did something else.

Chi-Chi felt herself wrapped up in an embrace. His arms were around her back and he was squeezing her off the ground. “I know it’s not enough but I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t be that guy for you, but I want you to know I’m happy you named my son after Grandpa, I know he’d like that.” 

Caught totally off guard, Goku moved so fast she hadn’t even seen him move. Then his arms were around her in a tight embrace, the kind that only he had done to her before. It was,  _ ‘No.’  _ Her hands quickly balled into fists and she threw them up. Breaking his hold on her as she released a frustrated growl. “What the hell was that?”

“A hug, Chi-Chi. To thank you, but wow you really got strong.” Commenting on how easily she’d just broken away from him. Granted he hadn’t exactly been trying to keep her in a grip but, he’d felt some serious power.

“Why did you hug me?” Chi-Chi could still feel his arms around her, that warm tight embrace. Forcing the memory down, she gave him a burning glare. “Do not ever touch me Goku.”

“Oh?” He gave her a grin and approached her again. A little mischief showing in his eyes. This whole little argument while a little demeaning and hurtful had gotten him pretty excited and amped up. Seeing Chi-Chi get angry was thrilling, he could just imagine having her in a fight.  _ ‘She’s probably even stronger than Piccolo.’  _

“Stay away from me Son Goku.” She warned him, he was getting too close.  _ ‘It’s happening again. He’s going to do it again!’  _ Chi-Chi could feel it coming, but- He punched at her. She threw up her forearm and deflected it. Pushing off his arm she rounded onto his side sending an elbow right towards his head.

Goku’s own arm blocked her attack, the biggest grin showing on his face as she growled at him. “Not bad,” He praised her as Chi-Chi’s fury only grew. “Better than you!” Her right foot swung upwards catching Goku in the chin. His teeth clicked in his head, ears ringing for a moment as he was knocked backwards. His feet skidding along the grass as Chi-Chi now gave him a smirk. “You’re nothing to me Son Goku.” She told him lowering herself into a fighting stance. 

Her body was electrified, seeing Goku move down into that same fighting pose back from the World Martial Arts Tournament.  _ I’ll show him not to mess with me again.  _ The second he smiled they both shot towards each other.

Goku hit her guard with a flurry of punches, only one sliding through and hitting her in the jaw. But she had let him, grabbing his wrist she turned it outwards flipping Goku sideways and onto his back. Bringing her heel down onto his chest in the process and knocking the air from him. Chi-Chi flipped upwards and drove both of her heels back down crashing through the dirt and flowers as Goku’s head only lost a few hairs. 

Swiveling himself upwards onto his feet using his head to balance himself on the ground as he swung both of his legs. Chi-Chi broke away from him, not wanting to catch a stray kick as he rolled back up and immediately pressed into her. She didn’t shy away,  _ ‘I’ll show you’  _ She shouted in her head as she matched him blow for blow. His fist colliding with hers, both rattling off heavy blows before exploding into the air. 

She caught him with a cross, he hit her with his knee. She responded by slamming her head into his chin. Dizzy, his hand grabbed at her wrists and began to spin. Unable to flare her own ki and break away she released a shriek as Goku spun faster and faster until letting go sending her flying down into the ground. Impacting hard with enough force to leave a five meter long gouge. 

She spat out some blood, using her one wrist to wipe the dirt and spit from her mouth as Goku looked down at her. His grin and smile only spreading. Drawing back his hands, Chi-Chi immediately caught on to what he was doing.

“KA-!” He shouted to which she stomped both of her feet into the ground and slammed her own palms into the same mirrored action. “KA-!”

“ME-!” They both said in unison. A small bright blue orb flared in both of their palms. “HA- ME-!” Chi-Chi’s arms were shaking as she loaded up one of the biggest attacks of her entire life. There wasn’t any holding back. She would blast him into god damn space!

He had never felt so alive, this feeling. It was even more intense than his fight with PIccolo. He had to take it easy when fighting Junior because he had Kami trapped inside of him and killing him would’ve ended up killing Kami. 

This was different, this wasn’t some fight to the death or tournament. This was about pride, this was pure elation, a rush he’d never had before. She was stronger than Junior, she might be his equal and that thought alone excited him like a bolt of pure electricity. His entire body was running on the pure adrenaline of an amazing fight.

“I hope your ready, because this means you lose!” Chi-Chi shouted, she’d show him. There wasn’t anyone better than her. She was the best. She couldn’t see it herself but she was smiling, she was feeling it. A rush like no other, it was euphoria staring him down.

“Come on Chi-Chi don’t hold back on me!” Goku replied in kind. His heart was hammering into his chest, he’d never seen anything like her. She was amazing, and so powerful!  _ I don’t want this to end. _

Both of their eyes locked into the others. “HA-!” Goku and Chi-Chi thrust their hands forwards. The blue beams both rocketed towards the others oncoming blast. The resulting explosion created a four foot crack in the ground as the area twisted and lifted itself up and over like a small earthquake.

Goku was thrown backwards. Chi-Chi was sent tumbling back as well, her body bouncing and rolling several times before landing in a heap. The world’s strongest man landed with a heavy thud about forty meters away. Landing without the energy to brace himself, Goku’s front hit head on, upending roots and sending dirt and dust skyward. 

It was silent for several minutes as the two were out of breath, pushing themselves up from their knees and looked at one another. She met his gaze and he returned the same challenge. 

“What’s the matter… strongest man? Can’t-” She pushed herself up onto one foot with her hand bracing atop her knee. “Handle it?”

“Eheheh,” Goku laughed. “I can handle it.” He pushed himself into a squat. “In fact I want more.” He didn’t want this fight to end. He couldn’t place it, but watching Chi-Chi fight. It was like that same rush he had before, but this time. This time he had to give it his best, “Come on Chi-Chi let’s go again.” The fight against his equal. 

Chi-Chi smirked at him, this. “No.”

He blinked, “What?” That fight was incredible.

“I said… No.” She told him righting herself. “Not today, tomorrow, not ever!” She swiped her hand in the air. This was it, her chance to land a blow more pertinent and more devastating than any Kamehameha. “That will be the last time.”

He shook his head, “What are you talking about Chi-Chi?” She wasn’t going to fight with him again? That didn’t make any sense.

“You heard me and just so you know I’ll keep training and getting stronger every single day but know that I’ll never give that satisfaction of having that fight. You won’t ever know how strong or how good you are on this planet again.” Shoving the full force of her plans for revenge right down his throat, “Good-bye, forever.” She said before lifting herself into the air. Pure adrenaline, and pleasure at seeing his reaction was all she had wanted. 

Even if she enjoyed that fight herself far more than she’d ever admit,  _ ‘I’m taking something from you. Just like you took something from me, except I'm not leaving you a broken woman, alone, and pregnant. It’s the very least you get.’  _

She blasted off but barely was able to keep her eyes open as she dipped lower and lower towards her village. Leaving behind an absolutely stunned Goku who struggled to understand what had just happened.

Chi-Chi was never going to fight him again?  _ ‘You won’t ever know how strong or how good you are on this planet again!’  _ The challenge of another opponent, someone who gave him a reason to fight and grow stronger had presented themselves to him in the most spectacular fashion and just as he was ready to get into it again. He had his feet taken out from underneath him, but Goku had one thing. Persistence. He would make Chi-Chi fight with him again, it was just too much fun. He just needed a strategy, a real plan of attack.

But something scratched at the back of his mind.  _ What if she doesn’t fight me? What if I never have a real fight like that again?  _

He didn’t know, but for now he needed to find a place to recover. He’d taken a beating but only hungered for more, and yet that was going to be the problem.


	4. An End and New Beginning

_ **The Prologue is Over** _

One week, it had been one week of ignoring him. She couldn’t train in her usual spots anymore or very much leave the palace without seeing him appear. Whether or not it was a good thing remained to be seen, but Chi-Chi was dead set on keeping her promise.  _ I will never fight you again.  _ And she was going to honor that commitment to herself. 

Returning home that night she’d felt great, although as the effects of her rage and lust for battle had worn off she did feel worse. She’d told her father and Kenyo that she had just gotten carried away with her training and was going to be taking it easy for awhile. A partial lie and they had bought her words to a degree. There was precious little they could do to dig it out of her as she had become extra vigilant of Gohan. An unforseen effect of revealing to him that he was not only a dad, but also that she had a son who was like him might be too tempting for even him to pass up.

  
She didn’t want Goku to get any further ideas, or that she would put it past him to take her son in order to encourage a brawl with her. She also knew that he wasn’t that low, though not much better than the scum that she wiped off her boots. He’d keep his hands to himself for now, and leave her family in peace as he made himself scarce whenever her father or husband appeared close by.

He had become less of her most hated being and transformed into more of a constant buzzing fly, though hundreds of times larger and just as annoying. Her feelings for him hadn’t changed either, he had run out on her. Didn’t care about her or her feelings and then wanted everything to go right back to normal as if he hadn’t done the worst possible thing to her.

That was what she couldn’t forgive, maybe if she gave him fifty years and having his own family with someone else that might understand and grovel for forgiveness then she might consider it. But there was little chance of that happening, there wasn’t probably a woman alive that could handle his compulsive behavior or have a chance at controlling him.

Fortunately for today, she’d been given a reprieve. It was time for a town festival, her father and husband along with other members of the village had gone out of their way to work on making the evening another memorable one. Fireworks displays, catered food, music, drinks, and plenty of entertainment for the children. 

A time for everyone to just relax and enjoy the coming summer and rejoice in the company of their neighbors, no matter what they did or who they were. It was one she enjoyed as a little girl and come to love even more as people in her village praised her and her husband for having such a wonderful son together and being a role model family. Even if the traditional norms were reversed, it was always welcoming to have everyone wish her well. 

It had been a dark time at one point, but so many people had helped pull her from wallowing in that self imposed misery and break down the barriers of her heart in such a manner that she’d so appreciative of everything that she had. Wallowing in her own self imposed misery, trying to bring back the pieces of heart, while trying not to rush and let anyone in too quickly. 

That self-imposed exile in her own mind had lasted for quite a long time. But, with friends, family, a patient father, and a man who never gave up on her she had recovered. She hadn’t fully healed but she was in a much better place. 

It was going to be her turn one day to be Queen, and Kenyo the king of her small village. Gohan perhaps an eventual leader but she wasn’t going to go to far and dictate to her son what his life was going to be. She’d steer him in a certain direction but she didn’t want to take his legs out from underneath him before he had even begun to use them.

For now she was fixing herself up for a wonderful evening. Her cheongsam was bright blue with intricate purple and white flowers rolling up the side and around her body into the shoulder. Her hair pinned and wrapped with several separate buns with a small tiara keeping all three held in place. With only sandals on she gave herself an approving thumbs up in the mirror. 

She did a light spin to show off the loose bottom half of her clothes which swayed in the air lightly resting against her ankles. Once she was certain of her appearance - not that she wasn’t already - Chi-Chi gathered one of her mother’s fans as was customary and made her way towards her balcony to go see if her husband and son had taken off already.

  
Gohan had been wearing an adorable kimono that was white and purple with her husband wearing white and blue. The contrast showing a mix of all three that just looked great. Of course as it was getting later into the evening Chi-Chi could tell Gohan was getting tired. He had roughhoused with Icarus and the other children who were enjoying the morning festivities and he was already going to be asleep soon and probably most of the night. But she’d imagine her husband waking him up for the fireworks display, he’d put a lot of time and effort into setting it up just right.

As she made her way outside she looked around and noted that she was alone. Looking towards the table she saw a note for her. One of her husband’s medical pads. 

_ ‘Went on ahead, I had to help your dad with something. Gohan is with me, see you soon, Hun.’ _

_   
_ _ P.S. you look amazing. _

She smiled, always happy to see Kenyo taking to Gohan so well. It was something that really touched her heart and he had no problems doling out the compliments, which she deserved. “Well guess I’ll have a stroll around and see what is going on.” In the village before finding them. Gohan’s ki was substantial and she could generally sense him when he was nearby, but when sleeping he’d be a little harder to detect. Her poor little Einstein was even overworked sometimes.

Pocketing the note she turned-

Hitting a wall of orange and blue. “Hey, Chi-Chi.”

Growling, one hand going to her hair to make sure she hadn’t just ruined that,  _ If I have to spend another twenty minutes fixing this I’m going to kick him square in the fucking balls.’  _ Chi-Chi thought as her hand touched the top of her head, which fortunately hadn’t been ruined yet. Looking annoyed she stared at Goku, “I’m not dealing with you,” She attempted to sidestep him but he blocked her. The sharp glare she sent him next was a warning, “Get. Out. Of. My. Way.” Emphasizing her words as she just didn’t have the patience to be dealing with him and his petty antics at all. Whatever his reasons were for showing up she didn’t appreciate them, not when she was trying to enjoy her family, the one he abandoned.

“Why can’t we talk?” He stated, his face showed he was disappointed at her already aggressive attitude towards him. She wasn’t giving him anything, barely more than a few words before turning and leaving. He’d been trying to figure out what had happened between them but nothing, his mind was still a complete blank. “I didn’t come to fight, I know you don’t want to really see me.”

She growled, “I don’t want anything to do with you, why not run off and go train. Find some big baddie to fight or save the world again. You didn’t need me years ago, you didn’t even remember me so why are you here now wasting your  _ precious  _ time?” Sneering at him as she turned away from him, “I’m not going to forgive you, so just leave already.”

If only she knew that her words were having the exact opposite effect, it was like dangling that carrot in front of him. Telling him no was only encouraging him further, with the added cherry on top that there was apparently an amazing sparring partner for him to test himself against wasn’t helping that case any less.

“Chi-Chi, you won’t tell me why you won’t let me try and earn your forgiveness.” Goku again pleaded but she kept her back to him.

“If you aren’t smart enough to figure that out then I’m not going to tell you, it’s as simple as that. Go run off and find that billionaire genius, I'm sure she’d rather have someone like you so doggedly follow them around. Didn’t you ever have to go after her and look for an apology for something you did?”

If he had ever done something like that to Bulma, aside from breaking the dragon radar once, or three times or more. No, he couldn’t imagine, well that and he let her get kidnapped by Junior. “She said it was fine because everything worked out. Besides Bulma has Yamcha doing that for her and Bulma can’t fight like you can.”

“Oh so you just want a fight?” She stated matter of factly, “I’m sorry, you were looking for an apology, weren't you?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Goku said approaching her and touching her shoulder. He felt her body tense, and for a second she moved on instinct. Her hand grabbing his wrist, her feet moving into a throwing position. But she caught herself. “Get your hand off of me.”

“You could move it,” He almost taunted her. “Going to carry my weight and slam me headfirst into the ground with your shoulder, weren’t you?” Recognizing the act he’d done many times before, even if it was for a fraction of a second. 

“Like it even matters to you, it’s all you know anyway.” Chi-Chi said, grabbing one of his fingers and  _ painfully  _ wrenching it so that he let go, making him yelp and pull his hand back as she walked around him.

Goku reasoned he might’ve pushed as far as he could today, but he didn’t want to leave empty handed. There was one thing that had been bugging him. “Could you at least tell me how you got so strong?” In three years he’d never made such gains, because not only had she surpassed where he had been before but kept up with him. Despite his training, fights, and otherwise constant fighting Chi-Chi had been his equal. 

_ How? _

She stopped just at the top of the steps leading down.  _ Isn’t it obvious?  _ “I trained, harder than I ever have and with a single goal that consumed me for two years, I sacrificed time with my child, my husband, family and friends all for one thing.” 

“That was me?” Assuming that what it was.

“Me.” She breathed out, “Now get lost.” She then made her way down the steps, not bothering to do anything too expedient when she left and ruin her clothes, hair, and makeup. She was already holding back tears that he wasn’t worth.  _ Forget him, it’s time for your family.  _

But, even as she told herself that. The problem was, that man was always going to be a part of it. Gohan forever linking them together. But that was all she had, once Goku was gone everything could go back to the way things were.  _ ‘The way things were supposed to be.’ _

The gathering crowd over an hour later was creeping into the later hours, around nine in the evening. It was almost time for the fireworks display where Kenyo, Chi-Chi, and Gohan were all sitting at their spot. Their villages ‘chief’ fireworks expert promised her one hell of an evening. Of course Gohan was presently sleeping in Chi-Chi’s lap. The small boy curled up against her chest, one hand holding lightly to her clothes the other limp as his face was pressed up against her body snoring softly. He let his tail lightly flick around his mother’s fingers as she did.

“Our little monster is tuckered out I see.” Kenyo joked, rubbing Gohan’s hair.

Chi-Chi smiled, “Well he was playing for five hours. I’d imagine he’d be a little tired. But I'm sure he’ll need a midnight snack once were back to keep him down for the evening.” Knowing that he hadn’t had dinner, and he’d probably get fussy about not eating if he woke up. But waking him up for food then letting him fall back asleep was her plan for tonight.

Kenyo saw that she was in a better mood and figured he could press a little more in regards to what his wife was going through. He’d been having suspicions that Son Goku was dropping by, but not once had he seen him. But his wife didn’t spontaneously get angry for no reason at odd hours when she was by herself. “Have you seen him around?”

Chi-Chi’s smile pressed flat and she looked ahead, she confirmed his suspicions but he’d guessed that already. “Look I’m not mad, but I am here to listen. I don’t care about him and I don’t believe for a second that you want anything to do with him.” He put his hand on hers. Dropping his words softer, squeezing her fingers as well. “But I see how you’ve been. You’re not the same dropdead training superstar mom I’m used to.”

It made her laugh for a moment and he laughed with her. “What is it that he wants?” Deciding that he could get a little bit more from her tonight. 

“Something stupid, another fight with me… but a few other things.” Chi-Chi said, her eyes looking down at her son before looking to her husband.

“I see.” He caught what she was referring too. “And does he want custody?”

Chi-Chi shook her head, “No he wants to meet him, of course I don’t want him anywhere near Gohan.” Her voice almost venomous, Goku was not needed, she could handle this by herself. That selfish bastard wanted to see a son he didn’t even know existed.  _ As if!  _

That he understood, but he didn’t agree with. “Chi-Chi maybe-”

“Don’t, let’s not fight, not tonight and not about him. He’s consumed enough of my life already.” Chi-Chi said, pulling her hand away from him.

Kenyo sighed, “I understand but I say let him see his son, I think it might be good for the two of you to at least have that moment.” 

“Goku doesn’t know how to be a father, he doesn’t even care. When I told him he was just happy about the name, not about how he was, what he was doing. No, he just egged me on into a fight with him.”

“But he has a right to at least see him, I’m not saying give him to him. But maybe that’ll wake him up, sometimes having a serious responsibility changes people for the better.”

“You don’t know Goku,” Chi-Chi sighed, shaking her head in mild irritation. “He’s cared for one thing in his life and one thing only and that is getting stronger. Having a son would only limit him and you know how any kid would be when seeing their father. Wanting to get their approval, he’ll distance himself from you because his ‘biological’ father walked out on mom or turn on me because I’m the bad mother who couldn’t make things work out while Dad does all the super heroics that everyone just ‘loves’ him for.” Chi-Chi said sarcastically.

“Gohan wouldn’t do that,” Kenyo said, trying to plead his case.

“You don’t know that, and I don’t want the only good thing I got from that bastard to turn against me.” Her fingers feathered lightly against his hair. “I don’t need him, and Gohan doesn’t either.”

“Alright, alright.” He said holding his hands up knowing that Chi-Chi was putting up her walls. Not letting him see his point, she was remarkably stubborn sometimes, but then again that's why he loved her. “I’ll go get the fireworks going you just stay here and prepare to be amazed.”

Getting up from his spot Chi-Chi nodded not wanting to remain bitter towards him. He was a nice guy, sometimes a little to nice but that was a minor fault of his. Keeping her hand on her baby boy Chi-Chi just remained where she was looking out at the sky which began to fully envelope its purple hue to black. The stars were out, and the moon was perfect.

Sitting idle for about ten minutes, Chi-Chi paused as she felt a light wisp of air pass over her head. Instinctively she dodged the next one her eyes flicking down to see small pieces of rock, barely pebble size but they were landing next to her. 

Accurately too, which meant to her only one thing.  _ ‘You asshole!’  _ Setting Gohan down on the ground she turned and looked for Goku and her sharp eyes quickly spied that orange gi in the trees about a hundred meters from her. “Oh you think you need my attention, I'll give you some damn attention.” She grumbled grabbing the rocks in her hand intent on nailing him in the balls if she could. 

Before she could toss them her husband reappeared. “Hey Chi-Chi!” He said waving at her, taking her hand in the air as a wave to him. 

“Oh, Kenyo?” She said, slightly startled at his reappearance. “Back already?”

“Of course, didn’t take too much. Just need another minute and then everything will be going off like clockwork!” He said puffing his chest out proudly. “I do know a thing or two about timing and chemistry.”

Chi-Chi smiled at him, “Could you watch Gohan for me, I have to find the ladies room and yes I promise I'll be back to watch the fireworks.” Finding a quick out, telling her husband that she needed to see  _ him  _ wasn’t on her menu of options.

“Not a problem.” He said picking up Gohan and putting him on his lap. The little boy still exhausted shifted and brought his thumb to his mouth. “Hey Gohan, come on your dad set up all these fireworks.” He gently prodded him and adjusted him to have him watch all the cool explosions he had prepared.

Smiling she turned and jumped into the air, knowing she might ruin her appearance but she just had to get rid of Goku. He was seriously stressing her patience. Landing just below the tree she crossed her arms and looked up at him. “WHAT?!” her voice snapping like a whip as Goku jumped down. The typical goofy grin and smile were missing, he looked more like when he was fighting Piccolo than trying to talk with her, but she didn’t bother wasting more time on his attitude and instead focused on why he was obsessing over her attention.

“What are you doing outside tonight?” His voice a bit more serious than normal. Chi-Chi ignored it assuming he was playing one of his typical games with her. “Don’t you know what happens?”

Feeling her temple throb she put a hand on her forehead. “Happen? What’s going to happen is I’m watching fireworks with my family, something my husband put together for the village with my Dad. Now if you’re through wasting my time I'd like to get back to enjoying that.”

Goku’s eyes narrowed and he grabbed her shoulders. “No Chi-Chi, not that. I mean don’t you know what happens tonight?”

“Goku I swear to Kami I will break your hands if you so much as touch me like this again without my permission.” She shrugged him off angrily snorting. 

“No, Chi-Chi listen there’s a monster that comes out at night when the full moon appears.” Goku said in a hushed tone as the fireworks began to explode behind Chi-Chi, a streak of red yellow and green filling the air before bursting into a glitter of sparks.

His face was burning, his entire vision spun sideways as he felt a huge jolt. Chi-Chi’s hand was raised up across her body. Blinking he realized that he had just been smacked on the face. “Ow, what was that for?” Rubbing a stinging red mark on his face.

“For? I’ll tell you what it was for.” She spat at him. “Wasting my time, I should be enjoying myself with my family not dealing with you and your quite frank stupidity.”  _ A werewolf, is that what he is wasting my time with? Some mythological creature, I can’t believe this man is that desperate for another fight with me that he’s making up garbage. Maybe I should call some of his friends to get him out of here, because I am running out of patience. _

Now she actually regretted giving him that fight she should’ve just walked away. He seemed almost obsessed with her now…  _ Maybe that’s it?  _

He was doing this solely for her attention, if she wouldn’t fight him, then she’d drag him away from what she wanted until: he got what he wanted.

He frowned, “Hey that’s not nice. I’m trying to tell you about a monster, it’s real I swear.” Why was she being like this. Goku didn’t get her anger, he wasn’t trying to be rude he was actually concerned and all Chi-Chi seemed to get was more angry and more violent.

The monster that appeared was the one who had taken Grandpa from him, it had attacked at random and he’d never been able to find it since then. But then when he saw Chi-Chi out here with her village he had to warn her, but she didn’t seem to want to listen. She had before, even if she didn’t like him that didn’t mean he was trying to hurt her. It was for her safety, a measure of forgiveness perhaps and mend some of that damage. But she always seemed more eager to lash out at him than listen to him.

“Chi-Chi-”

“I don’t want to hear it!”

“But it killed Grandpa, I just want to protect you and your village from the monster!” Goku shouted back at her, “This is serious! You could get killed or hurt if that monster shows up.”

Rolling her eyes, she just wanted to smack him again but he was a bit out of range for that. “Well then” Her voice rising into mock sarcasm, “how about you go check the area for this monster instead? I mean you could catch it.” Whatever did she see in him? Was there anything anymore?

Goku pondered it for a minute before agreeing, “You know that’s not a bad idea.” Slapping his fist into his palm, “Okay I’ll scout around and be back soon.”

“Be extra thorough, Goku. Take the  _ whole  _ area.” She said before turning around as Goku blasted off. Chi-Chi watched him disappear before walking close to a tree and placing her forehead against it. Taking just a moment to lightly bang her head against it and recover herself before going back to her family. “Maybe I will use the restroom after all.”

Gathering her dress so it wouldn’t get anymore ruined she lept to the bathrooms and opened the door. Going inside the public area, while not her first choice, was at least decent enough as she cleaned up her face and rinsed off her hands.  _ I don’t know what I'm going to do with him. He seems intent on ruining my life now. I thought that he’d get upset and whine but he’s like okay with everything. My words don’t even seem to matter to him! _

The decision to tell him everything might’ve already blown up in her face. But she couldn’t undo what she’d-

A shattering roar broke through the air, it was so deep and massive the entire place shook even the ground! Chi-Chi’s entire body jumped at the sound and immediately rushed outside to see people fleeing in mad panic, screaming in sheer terror as everyone tripped and trampled anyone who fell.

“What’s going on?!” She yelled but no one cared as they passed her by. “HEY-!” Chi-Chi snagged alice who had her hands in the air shrieking. “Alice what the-”

“MONSTER! MONSTER!” She cried, grabbing at Chi-Chi’s hands. “Some beast, it came from nowhere! It’s It’s-! OH KAMI LOOK-” Alice’s face turned and Chi-Chi followed her eye and watched a massive ball of fiery red come streaking towards her. It was already too late, the explosion hit right next to them and Chi-Chi was blasted into the air landing in a heap bouncing once and hitting her head. 

Another ear shattering roar later and several more explosions ripped around the ground all over. People were sent exploding into the air as cries of terror and panic were silenced as a massive brown furry monstrosity beat into the ground. Its foot crushing one person, while its fist slammed another into paste against a wall.

  
Those who ran were met with more blasts as it seemed to not miss anyone fleeing. The monstrous form lifted up one foot revealing the body of its first victim, a young man with brown hair, his entire body crashed into the ground, his head almost unrecognizable. Pounding onto its chest in some sort of triumph it was almost caught off guard as a massive axe spun past its head before embedding itself into the castle wall. 

“I am the Ox-King! You shall-!” Gyu-Mao offered his challenge but this thing didn’t wait and swung its fist nearly the size of his entire body. Even with his bulk he managed to avoid one fist but before he could see a second one was already at him.

The blow knocked his helmet clean off of his head as he was sent flying like a cannonball impacting through a house and exploding out the otherside. But if the beast were to think him dead he was wrong!

Rising up from the other side his head already dripping blood and body felt on the verge of snapping. But he wasn’t going to lose to some brainless beast. The Ox-King looked as he saw several men shooting firearms at the creature but they only seemed to annoy it.

Backhanding them in the next moment their bodies twisted and shattered by the force that was more than enough to nearly cripple a man like Gyu-Mao. They were nothing but matchsticks before a wrecking ball. “No… No…” Gyu-Mao said, watching the beast kill women and children alike. Its explosive bursts from its mouth were decimating everything and everyone!

But with a tremendous scream the giant monstrosity met a double kick to the side of its face. Knocking it off balance for but a moment as its huge tail steadied him. Swatting at the new attacker who flipped backwards, her dress now gone leaving her in but a black training bra and underwear. The creature growled looking at the new female arrival, bearing a massive set of teeth to which Chi-Chi bared her own and screamed at the beast.

Her eyes shifted downwards though as she looked for some type of weakness at its legs or anywhere she felt her entire heart jump into her throat. The body just near its feet, was  _ ‘Kenyo! My heart! NO!’  _ Tears burst from her eyes as she looked back at the creature attacking her village. “DIE!” She shrieked and shot forward, landing a full uppercut with one fist under its jaw knocking the monster into the air but her moment of success was met with the beast flipping and opening its massive jaw right at her. 

Gyu-Mao watched as Chi-Chi was blasted downwards, hitting the ground and tearing up the concrete until landing just a foot or two beside him. Holding his side which he knew had to be several broken ribs, he came over and rolled Chi-Chi over.

The brown monster threw its hands up in the air in celebration and released several more blasts into the air. Roaring even louder, pleased with its own actions.

“Chi-Chi… Chi-Chi are you still with me?” Gyu-Mao asked, dropping to one knee as his daughter grunted but struggled to open her eyes as blood now ran freely from her right arm. A piece of jagged concrete was still inside her skin and had cut a three inch gash into her flesh. 

“Hold still.” He told her, grabbing at the offending piece. “This is going to hurt.”

  
_ Like… I don’t already- AHHH!’  _ Her voice broke into a weak cry as Ox pulled out a four inch piece of rock and tossed it to the side. Helping Chi-Chi to her back he looked to the creature who began to smash the castle and other buildings nearest to it. The few screams and cries vanishing just as suddenly as they appeared.

“Chi-Chi, we should run. We can’t beat that thing.” Gyu-Mao said, seeing the beast take two full hits from his daughter and act unaffected along with batting her aside like a doll made him question their chances. He would love to flay it alive, but dying here pointlessly wouldn’t do his people any good.

Pushing herself up Chi-Chi just grit her teeth through the pain. “No.” She said, “You can go Dad, but I’m not letting him-” A thought slammed into her head, “Where’s Gohan?! Oh my god! Dad where is Gohan?!” The image of Kenyo’s dead body still remained but she hadn’t seen her baby. Her child might still be out there.

  
Gyu-Mao shook his head. “I don’t know, Kami, Chi-Chi this thing appeared from nowhere. Before I knew it, this thing was killing people and I didn’t even hear it approach us. Like it just materialized from thin air.”

“But where is my son! Please Dad, is he dead, is he alive?!” Chi-Chi clutched to his arm as her father just looked down at her with nothing but a pained expression. “Please, if he’s alive I can’t leave him! I won’t let him be killed by a monster! I-I’ll buy you time, you just-”

“No.” Gyu-Mao said, pushing her back. “I’ll buy you time. It won’t be much, but I know you can probably sense Gohan’s energy somewhere since I can’t.” He gave a look back over his shoulder at his beloved daughter, the image of his dead wife. Pain was wracking his body but his love for his family would trump such trivial things. If there was but a chance to save his grandson he’d be the one to make the sacrifice. Chi-Chi was his pride and joy and probably the only one who could escape. 

It couldn’t be happening, her father wasn’t going to seriously consider this. She was the only one who could handle the monster, no one else would have to die. She could lure it away, she was strong enough. “Dad, no you can’t you’ll die let me get you-”

Her father drew her into a tight squeeze, his large arm holding her tightly to him, tears of remorse fell from his eyes.  _ I’m going to break your heart again, but I’ll do this a thousand times for you, my darling daughter.  _ The final time he’d hug her, to feel her warm skin against his own and remember every single moment he’d shared with her since the day he became a father. “A father’s duty is to protect his family.” He told her, kissing her cheek, blood smearing her face. 

“Dad-! Dad don’t!” She told him, “Don’t be an-” 

“Goodbye, and I love you.” He told her before pushing away from her. It felt wrong but as he turned and began to run the pain in his body evaporated. “COME ON YOU DAMN MONSTER! YOU UGLY SACK OF SHIT! COME ON-!” His voice bellowed, catching the brown beast’s attention which roared and fired a blast in his direction but it missed.

“That all you got, come on you fucking bastard! CHASE ME!” He shouted, darting for the edges of the village where the creature used its hands like forepaws did exactly that.

Gyu-Mao cleared the forest line as the beast crashed into the trees, splitting roots and knocking through oak trees as if they were grass. 

Chi-Chi wanted to curse and berate her father but she couldn’t, accepting his sacrifice with a pained choked sob before she pulled herself to action and went looking for Gohan. 

The Ox-King made it maybe another five hundred meters before the was kicked by the huge beast. Fortunately he managed to tuck himself into a ball and only shatter two trees before stopping.

Coughing up blood as he rolled onto his side, he looked up at the huge creature that growled down at him. “Think, you’re pretty strong. Don’t-! You?” He said, despite his body ready to just collapse onto the ground. He’d never been through such pain, but after seeing so many people he knew and cared for die this was but a pittance. He grabbed one piece of a broken tree trunk, his fingers curling through the wood forming a grip into it. 

“Alright you bastard.” He said his voice almost cocky, “Come- ON!” His hand pulled back and threw the small car-sized tree trunk at the creature who smashed it aside with one fist. It missed the clear distraction as the huge man shoulder charged its stomach.

The blow made it gasp and fall backwards, breaking into other chunks of the forest upending dirt and rock as the larger lumbering man pulled himself to another final attack. A hand came at his side, he jumped it. A second came after it but he wasn’t stopped, he aimed his elbow and-

Roaring in pain, its finger smashed by a direct blow to the joint, it pulled back letting Gyu-Mao one more chance to buy his daughter time. Landing just above its pectoral, he felt the beast starting to rise back up. “No, you’re staying- DOWN!” his head smashed into the side of its jaw. 

Its huge pawed feet staggered and spun before it toppled right back over. Landing with a heavy thud onto the ground face first. 

“That was for my family!” He swung hard into the creatures back with all of his might, “This is for my people!” Another hammer blow making even the beast cry out in pain. “This one is for my daughter!” Pulling back, he jumped into the air using every ounce of his body weight he crashed into the back of the monster’s skull, making it bite down into the dirt.

“And this is-” he was snapped by a huge whip that knocked him forward, tumbling right over its heads and landing on the ground in front of him. Barely recognizing what happened until he was again blasted except by a fist and right into the ground. He felt his arm crack and his ribs impale his lungs. Blood spurted from his mouth as he could barely even breathe without sending fire through his entire body. He looked up into a pair of red eyes that only radiated pure malice towards him.

There was no more last stand as the creature stood right back up. Then, as if in slow motion, the huge foot was raised upwards above him.  _ ‘Chi-Chi…. Forgive Daddy… I won’t see you grow anymore…. I’m sorry I wasn’t a better father… I love you.’  _ The slow descent was captured in what felt like minutes.

He could see his wife again, he saw all of the villagers beyond a veil of white light.  _ I go to my Death…  _ His wife’s hand reach out for him, though he could not reach back for her he knew she was getting closer then the rush and then darkness overtook him. The shattering of bone and spurts of blood ripped outwards from the beast’s foot as it began to pound its chest louding itself in the kill.

A blood curdling scream shattered the air giving pause to the monstrosity who acted surprised. Turning around only to be hit by a small flying object, the area surrounding the monster exploded as it was sent several feet down. It was being pummelled and it covered its face to protect itself, but met with only rapid blows that were sending it further into the cold dark earth.

Chi-Chi’s face was red with rage and pain. Nothing else mattered, not even her own life, she’d lost everything!  _ I don’t care if I die, I’m going to kill you! I’m going to rip your heart out and then I will watch you die!  _ There was nothing but bloodlust, her head was pounding with her heartbeat, she couldn’t even hear the beasts cries as she just threw everything she had into beating this creature into a mess of blood and bone.

“You killed Kenyo, my village, my father and even my baby!” She cried out kicking one hand away from the beast's face only to land a flush hook to the exposed part cutting into its skin and causing blood to spill free.

Seeing it bleed gave her hope.  _ I can kill it! I will kill it or I will die trying!  _ Faces of her friends and family were burning at the edges of her vision and she only felt her heart constrict tighter as she did everything she could to waylay into the beast. There wasn’t any fear or concern for her own wellbeing. Her life had been once dedicated to getting her just rewards against the man who abandoned her were now turned wholly into the destruction of this creature.

She’d found Gohan’s clothes not far from Kenyo. They were all burnt leaving several patches of charred remains of which she could only know in her heart of hearts that her child was dead. Burned alive by this horrible abomination. Once she knew that she tried to go and save her father only to watch the fountain of gore explode as her poor dad was squished like a bug.

She jumped onto its nose and began hitting the creature square in the eyes. Crying out, it released a volley of red ki exploding the small crater they were in and forcing Chi-Chi to back off or be buried in rubble. A cascade of rocks burst from the crater walls and fell onto of the beast. Some, perhaps hundreds of pounds or even boulders, smashed into its unprotected hide slowly swallowing its entire body as she now stood at the edge of the crater she had beaten the monster down into.

Her injuries came back though, protesting all of her current actions as she could feel the blood loss beginning to take its toll. Her arm had been trickling blood for minutes now and she had done little if anything to stop it in her haste.  _ I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep myself up.  _

Shaking her head and blinking her eyes to remove some of the fogginess Chi-Chi felt the ground shift as two hands reached out from the rock and rubble and drew out the face of the beast. Blood showing on its nose but it didn’t seem any bit slowed down. It then leapt - not climbed - out of the hole and landed with an earthquake level of force making Chi-Chi wobble. 

The creature snorted through its huge nostrils creating a level of hot steam like air to the cool midnight air. Its red eyes burned completely at her so intently she could view her own reflection back in them. She didn’t back down and looked right back at it. “I won’t go down. Not unless you,” She drew her one good hand back as the creature cocked its head at her. “DIE-!” A burst of blue ki shot from her hand and blasted the creature in its face. Smoke flew from its scorched face as it beat off the flames only to be blasted again from the side. Then again and again, Chi-Chi was just drawing as many chunks of her own energy and throwing them as fast as she could.

Blasting apart the landscape as the beast couldn’t follow her, its eyes never able to keep up as she remained at a distance. Her speed was her best asset and getting in close quarters with a monster twenty times her size was fool hardy. She had to use any and every advantage.

Sections of earth were torn apart as the creature began to fire at its attacker in vain, its own strong blasts of red fire were just pelting the Earth all around her forcing her to keep moving. An explosion would tear apart a football field of debris, another would cut a gouge about twenty yards down. 

  
This was not a fight but a battle for survival.

Leaping over debris and sometimes springing off a tree while it was still in the air to shift positions when she could, Chi-Chi flipped high and then let loose a volley of ten ki blasts to the beast’s back leaving a thin trail of red and scorched flesh in her attempt. The explosions made the creature fall onto its hands giving Chi-Chi but a moment. As she hit the ground she nearly collapsed, panting heavily as she could feel her consciousness slipping quickly away.

_ Not… yet… come on… I can keep going!  _ Chi-Chi told herself, but she was sent flying as she forgot about its other weapon. She was battered by the creatures tail, rolling along the ground she tried to rise only to feel it coil around her legs and pull her back, her one hand leaving a trail as she tried to stop it along with more blood from her other hand. Picked up she was slammed onto the ground like toy with the tail keeping her unable to do anything.

She crashed through a tree, smashing her face on the ground, then the creature tossed her into the air only to be punched by its huge fists. Chi-Chi blacked out for a moment as she went limp. She awoke to bone crushing pain, her body forcing her back to consciousness. Its hand was around her body holding her with an incredible amount of force. Looking at her with the same expression that it had killed her father with, Chi-Chi was only able to cry out until her lungs had no more air left.

Those red eyes were staring at her and preparing to take the only thing she had left and Chi-Chi knew it. She was going to die, but there was no merciful swift death. It seemed intent on making her suffer.

_ I… I can’t- Please KAMI MAKE IT STOP!  _ It was crushing her to death, and no matter what she had trained to do this was far too much even for her. She couldn’t draw in any real breaths as it held her in its fist. 

“LET HER GO-!” A voice shouted from somewhere but coming at an incredible speed. She heard the crackle of thunder in her ears and the roar of the monster before she looked up and saw only the moon looking down at her. The pain vanished for but a brief moment as she fell, the ground impacted but she didn’t even really feel it when every single bone in her body was nearly at the breaking point.

She just felt so tired, sleeping forever...  _ That’s what I want to do.  _ Embracing that warm blanket of death that would hopefully come for her soon. Her entire body was left in simmering pain, like a bed of electric nails jolting her nerves and bones at odd moments making her twinge and only further her misery.

What happened next she couldn’t say as she let her eyes close, praying that it would be for the last time. She didn’t want to wake up.  _ Dad, Kenyo, Gohan… please forgive me when I cross over. I couldn’t avenge you. Please… please wait for me.  _ It would be her only small comfort that she’d be joined with the people she loved in the afterlife. However short her life had been and violent her death she just wanted to be with the people she loved.

But as she hoped she felt herself being lifted from the ground and carried away, a faint smile graced her lips. It was her time…

Yet fate wasn’t done as she slipped into darkness, Nimbus carried her away per Goku’s instructions leaving him to battle with the beast. The monster that had killed the village, Gyu-Mao, his grandfather, and maybe even Chi-Chi! 

“You are going down!” Goku cried out before launching himself at the massive behemoth. Intent on doing what Grandpa and Chi-Chi couldn’t do. His blood boiling and a fire coursing through his veins, he was ready to do what he had wanted since the day he found Grandpa murdered.

[***]

The sun rose over Gyu-Mao’s village, or more precisely, its burning ruins. Nothing was left, except the cries of a small boy. He woke up hurting, cold, alone, hungry, and most of all. “Mommy! Mommy!” He screamed. Naked with cuts and bruises all over, he screamed for the only person that he knew would come and save him.

He didn’t know what happened, he wasn’t in his bedroom. There was blood everywhere, along with small fires. His heart was beating and his face was awash with tears.  _ Where is my mommy?! I want my mommy!  _ She always came when he cried, she was always there to make him feel safe and make all the pain stop.

It felt so long, his tears and cries echoing everywhere and no one came. He just saw people laying in pieces all over. He could see a pair of hands grabbing onto a fence, a stroller crushed with torn up stuffed animals shredded sticking out from inside of the mess of plastic and metal.

“ _ MOMMMMMY-!”  _ He screamed again, harder and louder than he ever had before. But only the deafening silence was his answer.

Breaking into full deep sobs as his mother did not come, Gohan rolled onto his side and just kept crying. He didn’t know what else to do until... Gohan heard labored breathing and sluggish footsteps. Rubbing his eyes with his hands Gohan saw a man looking at him. His hair was crazy with black spikes everywhere, he looked like he had been in a big fight. Sniffling, Gohan just stared at the man who gave him half a grin. The other part of his face was swollen badly, his arm looked higher than his shoulder and he didn’t even have any clothes on save ripped underwear.

“H..he… Hey.” The man said painfully going down to one knee. “Yo..u… mus be Go..han?” His breathing was a thick dry rasp.

“Uh..huh.” he said still scared as the man offered him his hand. But he didn’t take it, he didn’t know him at all. But he couldn’t run…

“It… s O..k. Mom is… whi...whh..with… m-me.” The man coughed and his outstretched hand went to his chest in pain. He took a minute before looking back up. “I...m Go...go… goku.” 

“Will… will you take me to my mom?” Gohan asked again, watching the man’s head nod. Gohan reached his hand out for his which he gently picked up and into his chest. “Where is mommy? Daddy? Grandpa?”

“Shhh...Shhh” Goku said slowly rising up. “Mom… first.” He managed before beginning a slow and painful trek back towards where Chi-Chi was.

He had failed, failed to kill the monster before it vanished. He had been awakened by the cries of a small boy, a tiny miracle that he’d lived, even more incredible. It was Gohan, his and Chi-Chi’s son.  _ Sorry Grandpa, everyone, I couldn’t do it… but I promise. I’ll be ready next time.  _ Goku told himself as he dragged his broken leg with him towards the small hut on the edge of the town and prayed that he could help Chi-Chi make it through. She was barely breathing and in terrible pain, he couldn’t afford to lose anyone else to the killer monster. 

Goku had already lost enough, if not more than he thought possible last night.


	5. Aftermath

Goku returned to the small hovel, it was little more than a shed, only slightly bigger than the house he had with Grandpa. The small structure was the only thing he could readily find to put Chi-Chi in. The battle had left him so drained he could barely walk straight. He was holding Gohan now, surprisingly Chi-Chi and his son. He had no idea how but he wouldn’t ever call Chi-Chi a liar. She told him it was his son, so he believed her. Not that the tail wasn’t a clear enough indicator for even him. 

The moment of celebrating though wasn’t now. He’d barely survived the hardest fight of his life and had barely managed to kill the creature that had killed Grandpa and all of Chi-Chi’s village. At best he’d been a distraction.  _ But I can train, I’ll get stronger.  _ He told himself, still dragging his leg along as he cradled Gohan against his shoulder.

His mind was still recalling that hellish battle with the moon monster, he was still woefully lacking. It made more sense how Grandpa couldn’t handle it. Speed, strength, and cunning. It made Piccolo look like nothing, even Chi-Chi was almost killed by it…

_ I should’ve come back sooner.  _ He was harping on himself over that point. Yet he didn’t try and focus on what could’ve been. His eyes looking ahead towards the small building. “It’s not Grandpa’s but it’ll do.” Goku grunted.

“Is Momma in there?” Gohan whimpered. 

  
“Yep, she’s… she’s asleep.” Not wanting to say unconscious or hurt, that would probably spark his son to start crying and he wouldn’t even know where to begin. Pushing open the hinge wooden door Goku tapped his son to look. “See?”

Gohan looked and his tears bubbled up but he didn’t cry.

Chi-Chi was laid out a mound of hay, a thin blanket under her body and another one covered her bare form. Her clothes were practically non-existent. Her face still had dried blood on it, but compared to how he had found her she looked three times better. “She’s still asleep so you’ll have to be quiet and not wake her alright?” Goku told him, setting him down beside her. The hay, while not as soft as a bed, was comfortable enough for Gohan to lean up and hug his mother.

With little left for now Goku just leaned back against the wall and slumped down. Pushing himself just that little bit more and bringing even a child here had drained him considerably more than he would’ve imagined. 

His head leaned back and his vision dimmed.

_ The battle… _

Goku had made sure Chi-Chi was taken away by Nimbus and had done the only thing he could do and that was to stand and fight. Pointing his finger at the giant beast Goku felt something foreign to him, a hunger for this monster’s blood. He wanted to see it die and suffer for what it had done to Grandpa!

“Tonight you will pay monster!” He challenged, dropping into his low fighting stance. He watched as the beast was already slightly injured strode forwards slowly on all four of its limbs. Each one as thick as a redwood tree and were five times taller than him. 

Goku charged first zipping past the creature’s hands and driving a punch straight into its chest, before snapping a kick into its neck. He managed to turn his opponent enough to flip upwards and kick land knee square at what he would assume was the thing’s neck. Riding down the back hair and ignoring the bloody trail to his side, he dropped right down and slammed both feet into its back ankle while it was disorientated.

The monster flopped right onto its back, its body shaking the ground with the impact as Goku couldn’t let up. Going airborne again, Goku went for another strike to the head but was backhanded. At the last moment, however, he was able to throw up a guard and prevent himself from being bashed. Yet that one hit told him so much.

  
Even if it was big, it wasn’t slow or weak. Goku kept himself from falling, skidding along the ground until his boots finally slowed him enough to let him throw himself right back into the fight. His arms were rocking with him as he built up a burst of speed. He went into the after image technique as the next attack smashed into the image left behind. “You missed!” Goku called out as the creature gave a confused look before feeling an elbow crash into the side of its head. 

Attempting to repeat the same maneuver, it was Goku this time who had to dodge in the air as a brown tail swiped at him, he phased just far enough away to avoid another counterattack but was met with a huge open mouth now turning red.

He cried out in pain as a full blast of red firey ki slammed into his guard, burning away his clothes and sending him back into the forest smoking. “Not working…” Goku grunted, pulling himself up from the dirt. Thinking quickly, he could see the tops of trees being battered aside along with the thunder of the monsters limbs rushing along the ground Goku knew he had to distract it again and come up with another strategy.

Rushing back to use the after image technique he threw a blast of ki towards its side, not a real attempt to hurt it, but to get its attention. “No over here!” Goku called out taunting it, the huge body swirled around seeing Goku dart into the forests it gave chase. But Goku shot off an after image letting it run after that instead of him.

He needed to strategize, just like how he had done with mercenary Tao. But he also had to follow up with Nimbus and more importantly Chi-Chi.

Speeding off and keeping himself low to the ground, Goku broke away from the creature and heard it bellow as it lost track of where Goku had gone. He could even hear it smell the ground and attempt to locate him but Goku had been all over the place already and there wasn’t anyway that thing could follow just one scent path.

Giving himself about a five minute lead on the creature, he found Chi-Chi. Nimbus was still with her as she remained unconscious. It was also the first time he got to see just how bad she was, for all the strength she had shown him in their fight she had been rendered completely helpless. “Thanks Nimbus.” He told his cloud before picking her up hearing her groan as he did so. Clearly even pain was enough to permeate her current state.

The blood loss was the first thing Goku took to remedying. Ripping off a patch of his shirt he tied off a tourniquet for her arm. Using a stick to wind the cloth to slow the flow of blood. He’d learned a few things from his teachers and Mr. Popo had given him some basic lessons in how to care for himself. When he spent that month in the Room of Spirit and Time he would have no one else to look after him. 

So Popo had been kind enough to sit down and show Goku all the ways to treat injuries, breaks, sprains, cuts, gashs, burns, and the like.

He never really used it but he had practiced for a week straight before Kami and Popo would let him go inside. As a result, Goku could do it by memory alone.

Treating her arm first, Goku went about doing the rest of the dirty work as fast and painlessly as he could. Using her thin shirt Goku ripped it off her body and made a basic sling for her arm. Her state of dress was not even considered. Her arm was tied off and secured against her chest. It was crude but would do for now. 

“Next here,” Goku could see her other arm was out of its socket with the bone pushing up against her skin. Holding onto her arm he pulled back just easy enough to- POP- Chi-Chi’s entire body jerked but settled after he reset her joint. Next he found a few longer branches and using some basic shrubbery vines tied of a splint for her leg and then set her ankle. 

Tears were forming in her eyes as he worked and Goku looked up as the smell of their salt wafted into his nose. His thumb brushed them away, “It’s alright Chi-Chi, I’m going to get you someplace safe.” He told her, whatever had transpired previously was all but a moot point. She needed help and he was going to do just that.  _ Not like she would mind anyway, she can’t do anything.  _

Heading to the nearest shelter he could find had been simple enough, a stray building, perhaps used for animals or storage, it was just a few windows a door, a roof, and a pile of hay.  _ Good enough. _

Fixing the hay pile to not allow her to roll down had taken just a little bit of tapping his foot and there was a small groove for her body to lay in. Setting her down as gently as he could Goku then turned towards the door but stopped to look back at her and smile. “Don’t worry Chi-Chi. I promise I’ll beat that monster. Just wait here.”

Once he closed the door behind him his face turned serious, he had to be ready for this. “Nimbus!” The cloud reappeared and he jumped on. “Let’s go fight that monster!” With nothing else the cloud took off and Goku decided to draw this fight out. Something that big couldn’t go on forever.

At least that was his theory, the bigger the warriors he fought the less time they could manage themselves. Piccolo was an example of one from the 23rd tournament. Cresting the trees he saw the creature smashing apart the village, having probably returned to where the fire and smoke was still coming from.

“Alright Nimbus I’ll take it from here.” Leaping off from the cloud Goku began drawing the creature’s attention. He would stall and exhaust it. Then he’d get his chance.

But that moment never came Goku had greatly underestimated his opponent. It didn’t tire, it didn’t even slow down blasting and chasing after him the entire night. Smacking him around and kicking him until the sun crested the morning sky.

Beyond that, Goku didn’t see where it went or what happened, he had been beaten so badly that staying awake was impossible. Until he heard the screams of a terrified child, his son, could he then even make it off the ground.

_ That’s how it all ended, I’m sorry, Gramps.  _ Goku thought as he had dozed off. Looking up he saw that Chi-Chi was still out and Gohan was sleeping against her. His small head laying across her shoulder, they looked peaceful were it not for their injuries. “Well enough,” he strained as he pulled himself back to his feet, the short reprieve needed. “Resting, I have to get some food and water for us.”

Knowing that they would be alright for now he had to go and get started on some provisions. He was starving and the village wasn’t too far away. Hoping that the food was still good, Goku directed himself in that way mildly limping as his leg had recovered a bit so that he could manage a walking pace.

The quietness created an uneasiness in the air as Chi-Chi felt her entire body feel like it had been put through a trash compactor. Groaning in pain, she couldn’t even shift without a jolt of pain streaking up her spine.  _ Am… I alive?  _

Last night hadn’t left her, the bone crushing pain was key enough for her to realize that it wasn't some dream. But unfortunately she hadn’t died either.  _ I just want to be with my family… why do I have to keep living without them.  _

Kenyo’s broken body, her father’s blood spurting up from the ground. So many… many dead bodies. Chi-Chi didn’t want to cry… but. “Gohan…” She whimpered, recalling the image so vividly.

Tattered clothes, scorched bones, so much blood… She wanted to vomit, but she swallowed forcing the rising bile back down for a moment and breathed in.

“Mommy?”

“Go..han?” She managed, then she felt a pair of small hands grasp at her face. “Mommy?!” The voice called out again, forcing herself to raise one eyebrow required all of her efforts and slowly it did. There was nothing at first but glassy fog. Then… she saw a face, “Gohan?!” She cried as he pulled himself into a hug, she didn’t care about the pain. So long as she had her baby boy she would suffer as long as she was required.

  
“Are… are you okay?” She said weakly as he cried against her cheek. Feeling his tears confirmed that this wasn’t some dream or perhaps death. 

“I was so scared, mommy I… I woke up without you, dad, or grandpa and I got cuts and scrapes all over!” He told her, happy to hear her voice he didn’t understand why she wasn’t holding him tightly but he would never let go of her again.

Twisting her head she placed a weak kiss against his ear. Whispering softly into his ear, “I know sweetie but you’re alive.” He continued to cry and she desperately wanted to lift up her arms and hold him tightly against her but her body absolutely refused to cooperate with anything other than just laying there like a log.

Several minutes passed between them, Chi-Chi slowly calming down her son with gentle kisses and soft whispers. Telling him that everything was okay right now that she was just happy to have him with her. 

Her mind however was unable to process how Gohan had survived, though she was thankful to the stars that he was alive and mostly unharmed she knew she had looked all over the village for several minutes for any shred of him. Calling out his name, flipping over anything and everything. Even when feeling out for his ki she couldn’t sense it anywhere. The massive beast was dwarfing her ability to locate her son. It had frustrated her so much, she at least tried to save her father only to watch him die in vain.

Letting both of her eyes open she looked around and observed her surroundings, she was in a shack. No real amenities anywhere, just a window, a tool bench with old rusty hand tools and a bag of something along with a lamp. This place looked dated but well kept,  _ obviously someone found me and Gohan and brought us here. But who could’ve?  _

Had someone in the village actually survived?  _ Possible but who would’ve gone back looking for anyone-! Oh god where is that monster? What if it comes right now, me and Gohan will be dead, I can’t do anything much less protect him. _ Even if she would willingly and wholeheartedly sacrifice herself for her baby what could she possibly do when she could barely move her head.

Shifting herself she noted that her arm was bandaged…  _ Orange… was it?  _ She took in a small waft of air, her extra sensitive nose picked up what she could already tell. Who else wore orange clothing especially training clothes.

_ Goku… Goku saved us?  _ Despite her disbelief it made sense…  _ and he was right about that monster and he tried to warn me. Oh Kami, of all the times he actually had something meaningful to say and I dismiss it outright?! _

How was she to know the beast that killed his grandfather would appear in their midst without warning. Releasing a sigh at least… they would be alright. 

Time passed slowly as Gohan spoke about what he saw and Chi-Chi wanted to cry for her son but couldn’t, she never wanted him to ever grow up and see  _ that.  _ He was a little boy, there was no reason for anything like this.

  
The only real blessing was that he wasn’t there when his father or grandfather had died. That would’ve no doubt beyond traumatized him. It still hurt her and then having to explain to him that they were dead. That was going to be a hurdle on top of her being unable to care for him properly.

_ I have no home, no family left, my village is in shambles. What am I going to do? I’ve dedicated my past three years to getting back at Goku and he’s the one who has to show up and save me and my son. Kami, what did I do? I just wanted- _

The door pulled open and Chi-Chi turned her head to see the new arrival. “Oh, hey…” Goku said with a none too cheerful disposition. She saw that he had indeed been in his own fight for his life. The injuries didn’t look as bad as hers but she could see that even someone like Goku couldn’t mask all of their pain.

He had a large bag in his hand, another one was hanging limp at his side. There was some minor bandaging around his body, it look self applied from Chi-Chi’s view. No one else had done that for him clearly.

Setting the small bag down Goku moved over and sat down beside her, a hiss escaping his lips as he put pressure on his limp hand. “Awake… well that’s good.” Sitting next to her he looked to her and then to Gohan who seemed concerned about their host returning. “How are you feeling?”

“I can’t move much more than my neck and head. Maybe a finger or a toe but I’m not going to be able to do anything for awhile.” Chi-Chi admitted, despite how much she wanted to hate him, right now that was impossible. “Did you bring me here?”

He nodded, “I found it last night. I didn’t have time to start scouring for places, this was just out of the way for the time being. I looked around to find another house or something but I didn’t see anything.”

Pulling the bag he had brought with him closer he opened up the contents, the edges of the bag already having holes sprouting from the sheer quantity inside. “I got some food, a few more bandages for you, and water just for right now.”

He pulled out a large first aid kit, the sticker tag still showing from where he had found it in the street as he set that next to her. 

Gohan sensed something, he wasn’t exactly sure what, but this Goku guy and his mom were looking at each other differently. “Mom?” His small voice drawing her gaze to him.

“Yes, sweetie?” She said, watching his eyes flicker back and forth to him and her.  _ I don’t want this conversation now. Please not now, I can’t do this right now. _

“Who is this guy? Do you know him?” 

“Gohan, well this is-”

“I’m your mom’s friend. I’m Son Goku, but you can call me Goku.” he chimed right in offering his hand to the smaller boy. “Nice to meet you Gohan, which is a great name by the way.”

Goku’s quick smile and friendly demeanour made Gohan’s concern quickly dry up. Taking Goku’s two fingers with his smaller one and gently shook it. “Strong grip, you really are just like your mom.” Goku said, making Gohan smile just a bit. “How about I clean you up and get some fresh clothes, Gohan.”

Gohan nodded and slipped down and Goku helped him into his lap all the way Chi-Chi watched.  _ Gods… Gohan took to him instantly and he isn’t telling him that he’s his father. Oh what am I going to tell him? There’s just so many things-! _

“Hey Chi-Chi, I know we have things we need to talk about, but we can late till we’re better.” He smiled at her as best as he could, “That okay?” 

She nodded, “Yes… yes, that will be fine Goku.” She told him as Goku popped open the medical kit and began cleaning up Gohan. First with a little bit of water he wiped him down with a white towel that quickly became covered in blood and dirt. Her son took the iodine and alcohol pads like a little man, but watching as Goku warned him that it was probably going to sting and that he needed to be tough like his mom. His small features winced as he dabbed the long cut on his back, the child’s eyes clenched shut as he felt the burning sensation roll down him slowly. 

  
“Strong guy, I know I cried the first time my Grandpa did that to me.” Goku said smiling as he finished up and then applied the white foam to clean up any other things. It helped that he had a guide written on the box with what to do for each thing. His eyes flicking towards it each time to keep up the steps and as he watched the foam sizzle out he grabbed some fresh bandages and then patted them down over the wound.

It was hard, but heartwarming to watch as Gohan was slowly fixed up before her eyes, the cuts and bruises were covered up. Only the long gash on his back was the only real injury he had sustained. Which wasn’t too deep and missed his spine, much to Chi-Chi’s relief.

  
But then it came down for her ‘turn’. “Gohan would you like to help me take care of your mom, I could really use some help?” Goku asked him, he had done a basic patch job she was going to need at least some medical care. 

  
He nodded back at Goku, “That’s the spirit.” Goku then patted him on his head, “Okay Chi-Chi, now I know that-”

“It’s fine.” She said, “Just do what you have to, I can’t do anything without your help right now.” Trying to remain neutral about the entire situation, yet that wasn’t easy. She still had no love gained for him, but she at least appreciated the effort. If he wasn’t there she would probably be dead and her son would’ve lost everything. She wasn’t going to forgive him, but she could at least act civil with him for now.

“Are you sure?” 

  
“Yes, I’m sure just do what you have to, it’s not like you haven’t seen anything before. Though you act like don’t remember.” Chi-Chi said bitterly and closed her eyes.

_ I still don’t,  _ Goku told himself. He knew that Chi-Chi might be referring to that night, but he couldn’t recall anything about it. The gaps in his memory were still there. Yet he didn’t want to start a fight about it. He’d had enough for a day. Pulling back the thin sheet he could see some of the injuries, but he would let Gohan clean her up while he looked at what else he’d have to do.

“Go ahead and wash your mom’s face with this.” Handing Gohan a field wipe. 

“Okay,” Gohan took it finding himself somehow comfortable in this situation despite everything. “Mr. Goku?” he said, making the other man laugh.

“Mister? Just call me Goku, alright?” He chuckled. Looking at a few of the open cuts along her waist and very carefully looking for which of Chi-Chi’s ribs were broken alongside her chest as Gohan sat beside Chi-Chi on the hay bail, wiping down her hair and blood from her face. 

The fact that Chi-Chi was nearly nude save for the small scrap of underwear didn’t bother him while helping her. He knew boys and girls were different and Chi-Chi told him it was okay. As he moved his fingers he found a slightly indented rib. “Hmm.”

“Goku, how do you know my mom?” 

Chi-Chi decided to step in at this point not wanting Goku to say something she would have to explain later. “We knew each other when we were younger. Goku came to this castle when he was around twelve years old. He and I chatted a few times and fought against each other in a tournament.” Skimming over the more important details but Chi-Chi figured it was better to give her son some information than others. It didn’t matter if Goku was his biological father, the man who helped raise him was dead and up until a few days ago Gohan didn’t even exist to Goku.

“Really Mom? Was he as strong as you?” 

“Nope,” Chi-Chi replied smirking as she heard Goku snort softly.

“I need to move your broken rib Chi-Chi, grit your teeth and I’ll do it on three.” Goku told her as he pushed two hands just alongside her breast and lined up his thumbs.

“Just do it.” She said.

“Alright one-!” He pulled it up and popped it right back in making Chi-Chi ‘s entire body jerk. “There you go, I think there's a few more on the other side.” He said, seeing that her eyes were screwed tightly shut. He guessed that hurt more than he expected. 

  
“Hurry… My lungs…” She gasped, as Goku had popped one set of lungs to fully inflate the other side was now trying to dig itself into those same bones. But the main problem was that it hurt like hell.    
  


Seeing her distress, Goku moved his hands to the other side and repeated the process making Chi-Chi scream. Yet he quickly repeated the process bracing her with his elbows so she wouldn’t thrash about. 

Kami did it hurt, Chi-Chi could feel the bones digging into her lungs as she tried to breath in a full breath of air as up to that point taking anymore would cause her a great deal of discomfort. But once it was done her body recovered and she began to breathe normally. “Damnit… Goku that really hurt.” She cursed, her facial features shifting as she conveyed her great discomfort.

“Sorry, popping your ribs out and back into place is not the gentlest of tasks. I know I've had to do it a few times, especially when it was me and Piccolo trapped in that other realm.” He pulled back from her and noted that her body seemed to have relaxed. “He actually can regenerate pieces of himself. If he lost an arm he could grow it back with some energy, and just pow he has another arm. But I guess that’s what you get when your a demon king’s son, you know.” 

“You are friends with the demon king?” Gohan asked, bringing one finger to his lips as he sat near his mother’s head. “Isn’t he some scary green monster?” His mother told him of a monster called Piccolo. 

Goku cocked his head at him confused, so Gohan continued. “You know green, he has horns on his head and spits lasers and stuff into people’s chests?” The older man laughed and the boy looked to his mother.

  
“That’s right Gohan, thank you for remembering.” Chi-Chi praised him but he looked to Goku who quit laughing.

  
“Well I could see that being how Piccolo used to be, not so much anymore, although he’s not hostile towards me on sight Junior isn’t exactly going to shake my hand after everything we’ve been through.” But as he still needed to finish cleaning up Chi-Chi’s injuries, “But that’s a story for later. I’ll finish up with your leg Chi-Chi then we can probably have something to eat.”

It took another ten minutes and after Goku had checked her over thoroughly she was all right for now. At least she felt better, she still could barely move, the only highlight was that from here on, she would probably start to improve. It was just going to take awhile.

Chi-Chi however watched Goku as the day continued, and she felt the need to say something that she really didn’t want to. He was the man who had hurt her and left her, why did she feel any reason to say kind words to him. The day however, was dragging on as Goku set out trying to figure out how to handle setting up cooking some of the ready made food inside. He propped the door open and dug a small fire pit into the ground. Having dressed Gohan in a large oversized t-shirt and given her a shirt to lay overtop of her body as she didn’t quite want to have her limbs moved at all for the time being.

Would it be forgiveness or even weakness for her to utter two simple words? As she lay atop her bed of straw she saw how Goku so easily got along with his son. Though they were total strangers, Goku had him following him quickly. Despite the injuries he didn’t complain about having to take care of him.

_ But maybe he’s doing it because he knows that's his son. Goku would never stop to care for anyone’s child.  _

Yet there was a contradiction sitting right in front of her. “See, now when starting a fire watch this Gohan.” His finger formed a tiny spark of ki as he set alight a tepee of sticks. 

“What are you doing?” Gohan asked curiously. Goku just smiled at him, “I’m drawing out the very spark of energy that rests inside of us all. It is ki, and you can do all kinds of amazing things with it, like this for example.” Dipping his finger into the base it sparked and ignited the sticks in a quick burst of flame.

“Wow…” Gohan said in amazement, “You can do the same things as Mom.” He’d never seen anyone else aside from her use energy, ki, or whatever Goku had called it. Except his mother’s was more destructive, he never saw her doing anything like this. Setting fires, he’d only seen that kind of stuff on T.V. when his mom wasn’t watching him sometimes.

“Yep and even you can use it.”

“I can?!” Gohan said excitedly, “Can you-”

“Gohan…” His mother’s voice cut in in a warning tone, her eyes flicked to Goku. “You can’t learn that now, you’re still too young. Do not start teaching him your bad habits Son Goku.” Of course she hadn’t created any boundaries with him but this was where she was going to draw the line.

“Aww, Chi-Chi I’m not going to teach him how to blow stuff up, it helps-”

  
“I SAID NO!” Chi-Chi shouted and instantly regretted it, her body protested it and her lungs reminded her that the fractures were still there. She found herself starting to wheeze. 

He relented and agreed, not wanting to fight with her at all. “How about some food then? Gohan, you hungry? Cause I know I am.”

The boy’s eyes shifted between his mom and Goku,  _ Mommy never gets that mad.  _ Noting that most of the time if it were Mom and Dad they’d talk things through, but he never heard his mother shout like that when not training. But the prospect of food… His tail perked up immediately. “Yes, please.” Gohan said to Goku who just smiled and set up the small tray that began to cook several ready made meals. 

They were the instant kind that Bulma had shown him how to make a few times. They weren’t his favorite but he could seriously go for something in his stomach as he hadn’t eaten in almost half a day.

As the metal trays heated up and caused the food to begin boiling Goku looked to Chi-Chi. “ Want some water first, Chi-Chi?”

_ Like I can really refuse.  _ “Yes please, it’s not like I can start moving yet.”

“Gohan here’s one.” He said tossing the small boy a bottled water which he tore of the cap too and began chugging making Goku laugh as he popped the lid off of his. Shifting around to be next to the haystack, he raised one hand and brought the tip to Chi-Chi’s lips. 

She parted her lips and Goku slowly poured water down into her mouth. If it wasn’t cold it was still nice to have some fluids back in her system again and Goku just kept tipping it slowly letting Chi-Chi drink an entire bottle in half a minute. “Another?” He asked and she nodded, repeating the process several more times until she shook her head, “Oops.” He said, noticing that she had dribbled a little water. Bringing his thumb down before Chi-Chi could protest and wiped away the straight trickle.

She then watched him smile at her and lick away the spilled water from his thumb. Her face turned a faint shade of red before it was too late, but she quickly looked away. Goku missed her flustered appearance and sat back down to finish with the meal which didn’t need more than a couple minutes to complete.

The evening carried on as Chi-Chi was not only given water by the man she’d sworn to payback but then fed as if she were a child. Using the utensils to cut into her food and then give her small squares so that she could eat. Despite the fact she could eat like a pig she was still a princess, unlike Goku who finished his first tray in ten bites and prepped a second as Gohan ate his like a proper young man.

_ How could this have happened?  _ Chi-Chi tasted the cheap steak sauce touch her throat as Goku cut pieces off for her to eat waiting for her to swallow before offering another piece of steak, green beans, or mashed potatoes. 

  
She was grateful in some respects to be alive and Gohan mostly unharmed. However, this entire situation was wrong, accepting his help when she had never wanted any after leaving her. Him talking to her son, it didn’t matter if he was Gohan’s biological father, he wasn’t Gohan’s real dad. Not once had Gohan’s existence mattered to him until today. 

_ So why is he even here now? What does he gain from any of this? He could just take Gohan and leave me behind, yet he’s looking after me. Taking care of my injuries and feeding me because I can’t do anything myself.  _

There was something so very wrong inside of her heart right now and she didn’t like it. Goku was ignorant, naive and unable to understand people’s real feelings. Promises were made and broken without a second thought or concern to whom they mattered. He had broken several promises to her and had not once seemed to think that it was a problem.

_ A simple ‘I’m sorry’ doesn’t cut what you did to me. I can’t forget how you held me down and took my body without my permission…  _ Even if it had been welcomed later. Goku was supposed to wait until they were married, but he didn’t listen. Her words were lost on him when his face was buried between her legs or her lips were smothered by his own. There was no amount of punching, kicking, screaming, or begging. 

Maybe… maybe she believed that it was him taking command and dominating her as some men thought they had to do, or it was how he showed affection in some aggressive manner. But that never seemed to be him, after he abandoned her she knew that she meant nothing to him. That was the only truth and certainty of the entire encounter she had with him.

After eating enough, Chi-Chi said little as Gohan had obviously begun to wear out. He climbed in between the two sheets and laid beside his mother, his head resting against her shoulder as he slipped off into some kind of dreams.

  
This left the two of them looking at one another, the small fire burning away and keeping the room warm while the smoke escaped through the cracked doorway and small holes in the ceiling.

She decided to break the quiet as she noticed Gohan had gone fully to sleep, knowing that her son could sleep through a thunderstorm she wasn’t worried about waking him. “So, what are your plans Goku?”

“Hm?” Goku shifted his gaze and focused on her face. “My plans? What do you mean?”

“Well once I’m back on my feet and am able to take care of my son. What are you planning on doing?”

“I don’t really know, I was thinking about finding the ragon balls for you. But we still have another six months until we can use those again to bring everyone back.”

“Six months?” Chi-Chi felt her own sorrow deepen, she was going to make it through all of this by herself for half a year and then wait for Goku to locate the dragon balls and undo what the monster had done to them. 

“I know it’s not great but everything should be fine once Shenron undoes everything that happened.” The two fell into silence again for a few moments, the crackle of the fire the only real sounds in the small shed. “What about you?”

“I’ll be taking care of Gohan, I’ll have to find some type of job to support the two of us if not hope to find some of my father’s finances to keep us from remaining outdoors people.” Neither prospect was pleasant, as a princess she hadn’t ever really worked a real job. Not that she doubted she couldn’t, but her skills had been focused on training so hard and now it all had literally blown up in her face. 

“Ah, well I’ll lend you Nimbus when I go and find another one.”

“Another one? What happened to the cloud?”

“It got blown up by the monster, it’s not gone gone, but I have to wait before calling it back. Otherwise I would’ve flown us somewhere to get help.”

_ Oh, I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. But maybe that makes sense, he could’ve just gotten us out of here.  _

“Maybe once I get Nimbus back I’ll get some Senzu and you’ll be good as new.” Goku offered, knowing that if Yajirobe didn’t eat them all before hand. 

“It’s fine, once I’m strong enough to walk, I should be able to take care of the two of us. You don’t need to concern yourself.” 

Goku shook his head, “No it’s not a big deal, they might take a week or two but I’m sure I can be back in a day…” But as he said that he felt a crazy idea spark inside of his head, “I actually have a better idea. How about you and Gohan travel with me, we can go get the Senzu and then go talk to Bulma and get the dragon radar.” He hit his hand in his fist, “Then once the time is up we can recover all the dragon balls and then look for them together.”

“That’s not necessary. You can just give me the dragon radar and I’ll find them myself.” 

“You sure? I mean I can find them pretty easy, I’ve done it a lot. Plus there’s a lot of people out there who are always trying to get their hands on them.” 

“No thanks, it’s my fault so I’ll take responsibility. I’ll just have to find someone to look after Gohan when I go and look for them. Maybe up until that point I could have a job and pay for it and then just find them in my spare time…” Chi-Chi said contemplating her options, all of them that excluded having Goku anywhere near her.

“I could look after him then.” he felt her eyes snap to him, she was giving him a death glare.

“Absolutely not.”

“Aww, why not, he’s my son. I’ll take care of him.”

“No and for the record he’s not your son. He’s Kenyo’s.”

That confused Goku, “But I thought you said he was mine?” Scratching his chin he wondered what Chi-Chi was going on about. “He looks like me and has my tail, unless you had one in secret?”

“Goku you don’t know a thing about children and frankly I don’t want you near Gohan.”   
  


“That’s not nice to say Chi-Chi. I would look after him.”

“We’re not having this discussion, Gohan is my responsibility.” Before switching to a low growl, “Not yours, now drop it.” Turning herself from him she pressed her lips against her son’s forehead and closed her eyes wishing for this cruel twist of fate to be over sooner rather than later. 

Goku remained quiet, he thought that he and Chi-Chi were getting better being around each other but she immediately shut him down. He still didn’t understand why she was so hostile towards him, he was doing everything right? Or was he?

Whatever it was Goku leaned himself back against the wall and took a moment to close his eyes and rest. He needed it after the past twenty-four hours.


	6. Storee

Chi-Chi first awoke to the smell of fresh cooked fish. A rare thing but as the day’s events recollected themselves she quickly knew that she was living in a small shack with her son and Goku. Unlike the previous day, Chi-Chi felt her arms twitch in response to her commands and she was able to bring her one arm close to her son and not tucked into a sling. The feeling of her son’s hair rolling through her fingertips. It was a piece of her that had been given back. 

Her actions stirred her son who slowly opened his eyes and looked at his mother’s face. “Morning sweetie.” She told him, kissing him right on the cheek.

“Morning, Momma.” He said yawning and snuggling back down against her. He was still very tired, normally a ball full of energy, but for some reason he just felt so tired and sleepy like all of his energy was missing and he just wanted to laze about. Even for a child he didn’t quite know what had happened to him to cause this.

Chi-Chi noted her son’s exhaustion but attributed it to the huge emotional and physical changes in the last forty hours more than anything else. Her eyes shifted from her son and noticed that Goku wasn’t where she last saw him. But as her nose took another full sniff of the smell of cooking fish she could detect where he probably was.

Gritting her teeth, Chi-Chi managed to slide her one unbroken leg over and touch the ground. The pressure was a mild burning, but as she moved the broken one she grit her teeth through the pain.  _ Come on. You can stand up! You’ve done worse when you started training with kilos of weight!  _ She chastised herself for her weakness but still her body was telling to take things slow. Which she did, much to her annoyance.

Five minutes later she had both feet on the ground and had shifted herself to be almost able to stand up. Gohan had also gotten up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he was now sitting up where she once was.

“Alright, come on Chi-Chi, just stand up. Come on-!``she told herself, though she could probably use some energy to fly, she didn’t want to chance her body not being ready for the drop and possibly cause more damage than it was worth. 

“Momma do you need help?” Gohan asked, he could see her sweating and attempting to push herself up but her hips just wouldn’t get up.

“Yes… Yes I do Gohan.” She said through some heavy breaths.

“Okay, I can help!” He slipped down from where he was and held up both of his hands for her to grab. Knowing this was how she had taught him how to stand up and how to start walking he thought it appropriate to start helping her.  _ If mom did it for me. I can do it for her!  _

Chi-Chi shifted and allowed Gohan to take several of her fingers into his hands and gently, ever so gently pull her upright. Pausing as Chi-Chi hissed and her body twitched.

“Come on Momma! You can do it!” Repeating the mantra for his mother, just as she had done for him.

Encouraged by her son, Chi-Chi after two minutes managed to find herself on her feet. The pain in her body lessening as her muscles so used to being locked and cramped up began to loosen and allow blood to flow to other sections of her body.

_ Speaking of.  _ Chi-Chi loosened the tourniquet on her shoulder, having done it earlier in the day to see if she would start bleeding again only to find out that she wasn’t had been a huge plus. The altered state of her blood and body quickly changed what would’ve been a possibly fatal loss of blood or limb into just a numb arm for a few extra hours. 

“Okay, Gohan stay close in case mommy falls.” She told him, not sure if that would be the case. Gohan did as he was told and remained almost glued to her side. They took slow, almost quarter steps to reach the door. 

A room which she could clear normally within two seconds took almost a full minute as she pushed on the door handle. The bright sun immediately caught her gaze and forced her to look down.

“Oh, hey Chi-Chi I didn’t know you’d be up and walking already.” Goku said, turning his attention from cooking to her. Having felt her stirring behind him he hadn’t imagined that she just get up and start walking. Especially not after how he found her, she was recovering like he did.  _ But that’s what you get when you’re as strong as me I suppose.  _ He’d been able to lightly fly, nothing more than a foot off the ground at best not wanting to push himself. Though he still had a limp when he walked he could probably manage at least three or four times the speed he had yesterday.

Which was a good thing considering he’d probably need to get more food and stuff for them. Though it felt a little bad taking stuff from the village, with the bodies still out there it wasn’t right but it was for Chi-Chi and Gohan. They lived there, so it was probably fine if they were going to need it more than him.

The fishing hadn’t been easy this morning, as he was wearing just his boxers now as his clothes dried on a makeshift rack next to a large fire pit. He’d actually shot the fish with a ki blast stunning it before grabbing it and throwing it out of the water. The act hurt and made him feel light headed but, they all needed food. Chi-Chi couldn’t do it, neither could Gohan. 

This was his job to take care of them until they were okay.

“I got the fish cooking, should be a few more minutes if you’re hungry.” But as he did answer he noticed Chi-Chi’s nose smelling the air. A large grumble escaped from her stomach, the sound very loud as his eyes dipped from her stomach to her face which turned a shade of dark red. “Guess you are.”

“Well I'm sorry my body eats a lot more than it normally does. I’d put you on your back if you tried to keep up with how much I put down.” Chi-Chi warned him. The smell of the fish was making her mouth water, a cheap throw away heatable dinner was a small snack even if they had two each. She was starving for some real meat in her stomach.

“I’ll hold you to that when you’re better.” Goku chuckled, brushing off the comment for now. “Sit down where you can and I’ll start breaking off pieces. Though how much do you want?” He asked as he grabbed a large section of the fish’s ribs and popped off a large section with both hands.

“Just hand me the food and when I’m sated I will let you know.” Chi-Chi told him, finding a half cut stump around where Goku had laid the firepit and started tearing into the fish.

“Here Gohan, you can have this.” Goku broke off about a third of what he gave Chi-Chi and then let the little boy whose eyes lit up at the prospect of food quickly began downing what he could like a typewriter. Up one side of the bones and down the other.

Laughing Goku grabbed his own piece and began to chew through his section. Keeping an eye between the other two as they ate with gusto and he joined in. It felt kind of nice to have company to eat with him like this. It reminded him growing up with Grandpa.

After putting down the entire huge fish, Chi-Chi tossed the bones over her shoulder and leaned back, feeling her stomach distending slightly as it attempted to make room for all of the food she had just eaten. She did feel a little sick considering how much she had just consumed but didn’t feel like she could’ve stopped.

Gohan had eaten his own share but looked to both his mother and Goku. “Momma?” 

“Yes, Gohan?” She asked, looking down at him with a smile. “What is it dear?”

“I’m still hungry…” He said but unfortunately he had to compete with Goku and Chi-Chi for a full meal.

“Oh, sorry dear.” She looked to Goku, “Do you have any more food for him?”

Goku scratched his head. “No… but I can go to the village and grab some if that’s alright. I can make a big trip today since my body doesn’t feel like I got stepped on by Piccolo.”

Chi-Chi sighed, “Yes, Goku if you could, and if possible get some better clothes for me and Gohan. The large shirt is nice but I don’t need to be exposing myself…” Chi-Chi said feeling a rumble from her stomach slowly work its way down. “Oh god…” She managed to work herself up. Her face feeling a strain. “Goku watch Gohan… Oh, god!” She groaned as her stomach gurgled and began rushing south. “Don’t look!” She said, shambling like a stick figure behind the nearest tree. “Why now… OHHH-!” Her voice reached a pitch as her bowels voided themselves.

He smelt it first and looked to Gohan, “Mommy needs to use the bathroom… Oh, how about you come with me and we get some food for all of us?”

“Really?” Gohan asked, wanting to be helpful and he also strangely was comfortable with Goku.

“Hey Chi-Chi, I’ll take Gohan and get some stuff while you-”

“I don’t care, just get me some toilet paper and… OHHH NOOO-!” Her voice wailed as a very unladylike sound escaped her. Her face turned tomato red as she passed a fair amount of gas. She was willing to say anything so that she wouldn’t have Goku and especially her own son like this. Ass back against a tree and shitting in the woods after everything, she just couldn’t attempt to bare anymore humiliation.

The other half of the location just laughed and took Gohan’s hand. “Alright follow me okay, and when we get close I’ll have you close your eyes for some parts. You don’t need to see what’s still there alright?”   
  
Gohan nodded his head, before looking back. “What's wrong with my mommy?”

“Well... she just has some tummy and gas issues. She’ll be fine, I get those sometimes but not quite that bad.”

The toddler seemed to accept that answer before asking, “Is it because of the fish?”

“Ehh maybe? Why?” Goku asked.

“Cause my stomach is rumbling too.” The man laughed as he told him it was fine, they just had to find a few bushes along the way. Sometimes Goku did catch fish that did give them diarrhea. But of course he didn’t know that.

[***]

Goku found what was once a supermarket, the store’s front had mostly collapsed but the inside remained partially intact. The ceiling had caved in several sections and a lot of products were scattered all over. But it was probably good enough to head in, as Goku could see all of the nasty sharp pieces on the floor he put Gohan on his shoulders and walked inside.

“Uhmm Goku?” Gohan asked, one finger in his mouth as he peered through the thick mane of black spikes.

“What’s up little guy?” He asked, grabbing some trash bags to begin filling up with things. He was here for food and clothes for the most part unless he saw something he’d need. 

“What kind of friend were you to my mommy?”

He slowed his pace and tilted his head back to look at at Gohan. Not sure what exactly to say… he just spoke the truth. “I was just her friend, I wasn’t a good friend though, well at least I didn’t realize I wasn’t being a good friend to her.”

“Why?”

He pushed aside one of the collapsed shelves and began grabbing cans of food dumping them in the bag not really paying attention to what it was as he talked with his son. “I’m not the smartest person Gohan, and I’m forgetful and my forgetful nature sometimes hurts people.”

“So you hurt my mom?”

He bit his upper lip and rocked his head slightly. “Yes I guess you could say that I did because I forgot about your mom being my friend.”

“Why, were you a bad friend?”

Dropping in some toiletry items into a bag, Goku kept moving finding his smile slipping from his face as he spoke with his own son. He felt uncomfortable, as he should tell Gohan that he actually was his father and not just a friend to his mom. A part of him said he should tell his son that, but another part warned him that this wasn’t a good time. It could be saved until they were better, if he said anything he’d imagine that Chi-Chi would get furious with him, even more so, because she had stated adamantly several times that the guy called Kenyo was Gohan’s  _ real  _ dad. 

“I just should’ve been around more. I know it feels bad saying it now, but I just didn’t know enough about your mom and about people.” He didn’t understand why marriage was such a big deal. However, it did mean something to Chi-Chi. She wanted to get married to him and he had told her that he would twice. The first time was a misunderstanding but the second time he had asked her to marry him. But there was always another crisis, people in need, or crazy adventure that just drew him back out. He felt that maybe he should start there. “Your mom and I used to be better friends, but I left to go do other things.”

“Like what?”

“Well there was a monster… no monster isn’t the right word anymore. A guy called Piccolo - me and his dad didn’t exactly like each other so when I squared off against his son Junior and beat him there was a lot of bad feelings between us.”

Gohan leaned over looking at Goku. “Why?”

“Ehh because Piccolo’s dad wasn’t a good guy, he was a bad guy and he hurt my friends and did bad things to other people. So I managed to stop him and so Piccolo made his son Junior do what he couldn’t and defeat me. We got into a lot of big fights, our biggest one was at the 23rd Martial Arts Tournament. That’s where I met your mom for the third time by the way.”

He loaded up one bag and set up grabbing other things in a second bag.  _ I think maybe four or five should be good and if I feel that I can start hunting some of the game in the area it would be more than enough food for two days right?  _

“Were you still not a good friend then?”

He nodded, “Yeah you could say that. Your mom came dressed all nice, she had really changed so much since I last saw her. She was kind of pretty.”

“No-!” Gohan said grabbing a handful of Goku’s hair. 

“Ow, ow what, Gohan?” He asked as the little boy pouted. “Momma is beautiful, you have to call her beautiful.” 

  
“Okay! Ouch Okay, Chi-Chi is beautiful!” He said conceding to the toddler who had nearly pulled out a spike of his hair out from the root. “Better!” Gohan stated, his grip releasing the full lock of hair much to Goku’s imminent relief. “Man you’ve got a grip.” He admitted as Gohan laughed.

“Yep, Momma says I’m strong! But I have to study before Momma will twain me!” Gohan declared a little sadly. “I want to be strong like Momma but she doesn’t think I should.”

His father disagreed with that, “I think that you’re strong enough to get some training. I mean you nearly ripped my hair out.” He was probably stronger than he was when he had gone to Master Roshi the first time. Especially when Gohan got a little angry there was even more hidden power that came out. 

“Could you ask Mommy to twain me? I want to be with Mom but she’s always busy.” Gohan knew that his mother loved him dearly, but he just wanted to be close to her more than she had been. The maids were nice, his grandpa, his dad. But his mom always seemed far away. 

“Mommy is there but she’s not there.” His young brain not sure how to exactly explain what he was trying to say. A week ago he got to spend so much time with her, she held him. Played with him so much, and talked with him he had never felt so happy. But then out of nowhere his mom had then threw herself back into training even harder, getting stronger and stronger and he barely got to see her for more than morning breakfast and a goodnight kiss and a story.

“You really do like being around your mom, don’t you Gohan?” Goku sensed the boy’s sadness, there was a longing like he had with Grandpa sometimes. Even today he really would like to have him there to help him through things.

“I do, but Mom says she has to do this. Mom says once she has her revenge she’ll have all the time for me…” 

_ Yeesh, I really hope she isn’t still set on getting back at me for what happened.  _ “Well I think you guys will be able to spend some time together now. Once we get back I think she’d really like it if you told her that you’d like to be with her.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah, your mom loves you a whole lot.” Goku chuckled, tying off a second bag.

“How much is that? Is it this much?” Gohan asked, showing him his hands and stretching as far as they could. Goku just laughed heartily and stretched his hands even further than Gohan he was touching both of the aisle shelves as he did so.

“That much?” Goku nodded, “Yay!” Clapping his hands together in approval the two of them both shared a laugh.

“Well what do you want to eat Gohan and I’ll see if I can find it.” Goku having gone to tie off a third bag thought it would be nice to get the boy some food he liked. 

Gohan pondered it before having an idea. “Momma had these long brown things with meat, cheese, green stuff, all inside of them. I want one of those!” Gohan stated and Goku stared at the boy quizzically.

“Okay I know my foods pretty good but can you describe it better than that?” He wasn’t sure what Gohan was talking about.

“It’s got bread and it’s like a sandwich but not a sandwich, cause they cut it in half but don’t cut completely in half.” The boy saw that Goku’s expression didn’t change. “You eat it with both hands like this.” Mimicking the way his mother had held this thing. “She just used her hands like a peanut butter jelly sandwich, but it was… like… like THAT!” Gohan exclaimed pointing up at a sign.

Goku followed his gaze and noticed the half dangling ‘On Sale!’ sign. “Oh, your mom had subs? Okay sure we can get some.”

“YAY!” Gohan jumped up and down excitedly as Goku led him around the isles. Goku grabbed at least twenty full subs already loaded up in brown bags and slung them into a bag. 

“Phew, well I think that’ll be okay for now.” Goku told him as Gohan looked around his finger touching his lips as he noticed something else. 

“Ohh! Ice cream! ICE CREAM!” yanking one of Goku’s locks again from his head. He followed his son’s gaze but he could tell that there was a minor problem. 

“I don’t think we can get the ice cream…”

“Why?” 

“Uhh well.” There was a small leaking fluid coming from the boxes. “Looks like it’s melting and it’ll ruin the food we have with us.” Goku, while for the idea, knew he couldn’t bring that back. It would leak before he got it back to the shed.

Gohan began to cry as Goku denied him, and for a boy who was used to getting his way with everyone, except his mom, his tears caught Goku off guard. “Hey, hey Gohan it’s-”

“I. Want. Ice cream! You said I could get what I wanted!” Gohan bawled, falling down onto his bottom, covering his hands over his eyes and crying up a storm that made Goku feel like an absolute heel.

_ Well maybe there’s some that he can have… _

About twenty minutes later Goku was walking back towards the shed, Gohan happily chomping away on his box of chocolate drumsticks. A box buried underneath had survived and the little boy immediately stopped crying having used his own special technique to get exactly what he wanted. He’d already eaten four and had four more to go. Knowing that he wouldn’t get in trouble when they got back, but Goku sure would!

“Thanks for the ice cream!” Gohan told him as his tongue licked all over the peanuts and chocolate. His tail swishing back and forth rapidly like a happy dog. 

“Sure thing, Gohan.” Goku said, smiling as they slowly walked back. Four large black bags loaded to the brim with food, a few pairs of clothes, and other things were in his hands.

As Gohan chomped into the waffle cone he realized something. “So why aren’t you a good friend?”

The other half of the party tilted his head back to look up at Gohan who had that question pop back into his head. “I just didn’t do the right things, Gohan. Mostly I broke a promise to your mom.” His head dropped back down as he looked at the trail they were walking on. The slow dips turns and twists, it reflected well on his own life. The multiple paths he could’ve taken, the places he could’ve gone or the things he might have accomplished. 

Each little turn lead to a different ending location. Some would take you to a what was a house, another was a path to the lake, some were to different sections of the village. 

_ Could be that I might’ve stayed that day with Chi-Chi and then things would be different. Or I might’ve come back and not gotten trapped. Maybe I might not have returned at all.  _ They were all possibilities, though he did what he thought was best at the time. 

Gohan thunked him with a fresh drumstick. “You shouldn’t break your promises! That’s not nice!” Giving him a mean looking frown, Goku saw himself in that face and he couldn’t stop the small grin on his face when looking at him.

“I know, I just didn’t think they were so important.”

“Well, maybe you should apologize.” 

_ Did that.  _ “I don’t think saying sorry would be enough.”

“So you messed up?” Gohan knew that vocabulary. Kenyo did that a lot with mommy, and he’d seen how he would apologize to mommy when sometimes a ‘I’m sorry’ wasn’t going to be good enough. Also Mommy told him, so that he could tell daddy how to fix things.

“Yeah that would be better, but your mom has the right to be angry with me. I shouldn’t expect an apology in a few days.”

Gohan felt a wicked smirk spread over his face. “I’ll help you apologize.”

There was a tone in his son’s voice that made Goku realized he was scheming.  _ What’s the problem with asking though. He might actually know what would be good to get Chi-Chi.  _ “Okay, what do  _ you want _ then?”

[***]

Chi-Chi was recovering, having another bout of diarrhea not too long ago. Finding that the pain in her backside was almost equal to the pain in her whole body.  _ Note to self, check the fish before you eat it.  _ She should’ve but she’d let her stomach win out in telling her what to do. Goku had grabbed some of the giant fish from the nearby lake that were known for their colon cleansing abilities.

While decent food they were bottom feeders and their meat often left your body faster than you could put it in.  _ That certainly was the case today.  _ Chi-Chi lamented, sitting atop the stump outfront of the shed. The door had been propped open to keep the interior cool.

Goku and Gohan had been gone for nearly two hours, or at least it felt that way as she watched the sun shift from its position that they left to where it is now. A part of her was worried that the monster might’ve come back, that Goku and Gohan might be in serious trouble and she was still helpless. 

Yet there were no signs of the monster, no shaking, roars, or anything that had been like that night. She told herself to calm down, that perhaps her own fears had boiled over and she was getting herself worked up over nothing.

But still… she just wanted to see them both again, though Goku much less than her son.  _ But why do I still even care about him.  _ Rationalizing why she would even have feelings was because he had saved her and her son’s life and that she might owe him. That made some sense, but still she actually wanted to... To...

Shaking her head, no she couldn’t think that. Goku had done her wrong in so many ways. One simple act of genuine human decency didn’t outweigh the mountain of garbage of wrongdoings he had piled up.

So why didn’t she feel the black bile that should be spitting out of her mouth towards him. But instead a mild annoyance. Her feelings were still conflicted,  _ him rushing in at the last moment to save me, carrying me off when I needed him. Then he goes off and finds Gohan. Brings him back to me, treats my injuries and doesn’t ask for anything. He’s just happy to see me okay.  _

Biting her cheek, the emotions were tearing at her. She wanted to cry at herself. She still  _ felt  _ things for Goku, “But why?! Why does he even matter, Kenyo and Dad died and I’m fucking pinning after him still!” She covered her face with one hand, the second one still couldn’t reach. 

She saw the way Gohan took right to him, normally shy, he found Goku an immediate attraction and didn’t waste a moment jumping right for him and finding it almost natural. 

_ Is this the family I would’ve had if he hadn’t of abandoned me?  _ Goku’s hand roughing through Gohan’s hair, his joyful smile and good natured banter all of it was the man who had captured her heart. 

Even beyond that Goku still challenged her, his strength and attitude seemed more like an opponent than her husband. “But why does that still appeal to me? Kenyo was such a good man, he was sweet, tender, loving, and understanding of everything. He… He…” 

_ Wasn’t the rough calloused hands, the playful grin and strong punches that kept her on her toes. A man that would be her equal and not back down. Never kowtowing to her previous standing, Goku had always seen her as just a girl.  _ Because his attraction to her had been because of how strong she was. Not in a loving way, but because that's how he enjoyed himself.

Fighting, it had been the thing that had brought them together and kept them friends.

She had been Chi-Chi, nothing more or less than that.

But that  _ night. _

_ That night… _

He was consumed, his tongue was swirling within her mouth, no passivity or timidity that had been at the tournament. The rich manly taste was rolling through her lips and pinning her tongue to the spot. Unwilling to let her go, his one hand was behind her head. The other had her hands trapped behind her back. He wasn’t going to let her get away. 

Plundering her mouth until she could barely breathe, he tossed her onto the bed, nothing but the cold glow of the moon was her only source of light. Her hands tried to protest, to tell him to stop but he ripped her dress apart and his head settled between her legs. 

“No, Goku! You can’t do that. Please this isn’t right!”

His nose dragged along her skin. Smelling her before following down the other side, the backside of his tongue dragging down against her skin. His hands gripped her thighs and forced her almost into the splits. She winced from the sensation, he sucked at her skin, nipping at the edges of her abs as her hands tried to grab at the spikey locks of hair.

But he wasn’t perturbed, he continued to kiss and lick her entire stomach. His tongue swirled through her navel before his mouth covered the small button and sucked on it like a hickey. It was a unique sensation, sucking harder as his tongue rolled along the edges.

  
“What, what are you doing?!” She yelled, but again she was met with silence. Popping his lips up revealed a round black circular bruise. Marking her body exactly where he had been. 

It didn’t hurt but as she looked down at his face she was given pause, his eyes were huge, and the only thing that was in them was  _ her.  _ “Goku were not married, we can’t do this. Please, Goku I know-” Her voice tripped up as a finger ran up a moist cleft between her legs. The action making her gasp as it dragged upwards roughly and over her protruding clit. The pink nub made her legs shake.

She froze and his thumb came next, teasing with the edges of her nether lips, pulling apart her leaking core and exposing the soft pink flesh. His hand then twisted and two fingers pushed inside of her. Chi-Chi’s body jerked off the bed.

The surging, pushing, pulling along her inner walls was far more than she had ever teased herself. Balking at the notion of more than one of her slender fingers going that far, Goku’s two huge digits were dragging along her walls and hitting her spots that made her voice become nothing but grunts and groans.

_ SO fast, this is too fast!  _ Chi-Chi moaned, her hands twisting in Goku’s locks but her fingers began to slip away as he began to tease her clit with his thumb. “G-Go… Goku.” She panted heavily, he wasn’t giving her a second to come down from this high.

Repeating the action, adding a third finger each one spreading out, wiggling and dragging back in such a manner her entire hips lifted off the bed. Then her nub was being roughly pawed and knocked around by Goku’s thumb. 

Her scream crashed as she climaxed, the hardest she’d ever done before.  _ Kami!-!  _ But her lover didn’t slow down he kept going, forcing her to ride out for almost half a minute. 

His fingers pulled out of her and she lay there whimpering but then she saw Goku’s face again. His tongue licking up the juices of her orgasm slowly and seductively, his face grinning, more than pleased with himself and with  _ her.  _ The act made her face burn red, she then tried to sit up but he dropped his head back down and then she met his tongue.

It rolled upwards before sweeping down inside. Chi-Chi’s legs locked up her entire body clenched and failed to do anything but twist and rock as Goku’s entire mouth began to suck at her cunt. His tongue teased her top before sliding down into her body. Slipping in and out, faster and faster. 

“F-Faahhh ck!” Her voice cried out, her body pushed right back to its limits. The added squirming appendage, it was so warm and so wet Chi-Chi’s stomach clenched up tightly.

As the fluids leaked from her body, Goku didn’t miss a drop his tongue slipping out to catch every trail, making low purrs and grunts as his mouth suctioned itself and drank from her. Tilting up her body so that he wouldn’t risk her getting away. 

“Ohh--Ohhh Gods! Kami! Goku! GOKU! GOKU---!” Her voice screamed as she climaxed again, her fluids almost gushing onto Goku’s face. She could feel him gulping down her juices before slurping his tongue right back into his mouth. 

She couldn’t rest as he was already back on top of her, his tongue battling with hers. Her hands wrapped around him loosely as she felt so tired, dirty, but so so good. Her entire body was like a sponge,  _ When did he learn to do stuff like this?  _

“Hahhh.” Goku breathed out breaking his lips from hers. Inhaling deeply,Chi-Chi watched him slide back and then she felt something pushing against her slit sliding upwards. She saw it, it was a thick vein covered cock.  _ ‘So big, it’s so big!’  _ Chi-Chi was worried, but then as its white leaking tip pushed back it made her shake her head.

“No, Goku, no!” She said, trying to be forceful, but he didn’t seem to care. “Goku, stop! I don’t want this now.” It wasn’t proper, they weren’t married yet. She was still in her father’s house, this was wrong. Other activities aside she could make exceptions but this was going too far for her.

He snorted, “Mine.” Was all he said, his hand fixing the positioning of his cock and pushed the tip inside of her.

“STOP!” She shouted, her leg kicking at his shoulder, “Goku please STOP!” She begged, tears forming as she felt him pushing inside of her, coming closer and closer until-! She screamed, the pain burning inside of her. Her head fell backwards, “It hurts! Goku, please, it hurts!” 

He reached down and pulled her up, resting her in his lap as he kissed her again. She turned her face away but he wouldn’t be denied. Finding her mouth, her pulled it back with his tongue. Screaming, Chi-Chi just wanted him to stop. It wasn’t right, this wasn’t how she wanted it to be going. 

The smell of iron began to fill the room as Goku began to thrust inside of her, using that same speed, but with a much larger and painful instrument for her. Slapping at him, she only heard him growl and increase in speed. 

Soon her legs were almost vertical and Goku was pummeling her womb with hard rapid thrusts. His hands holding her hips as he pushed her up he drew back and then as one to use the most force for his own pleasure drew her back down and thrust his hips into her.

Chi-Chi felt the heavy lasts of Goku’s cum flood her womb, but his actions didn’t slow. He drew out, splattering her stomach before thrusting back in. Coating every single section of her body with his seed. He apparently had a lot stored up as she could feel him twitching inside of her for a full ten seconds. 

Chi-Chi felt him grunt almost satisfied and pulled back out. Her body leaking a pink trail of his sperm and her virgin blood onto the sheets. She wanted to close her eyes and wake up from this defilement of her body against her will.  _ ‘Goku you said you’d marry me? That your heart knew what it was telling you? So why are you doing this to me?’  _

Curling her legs up she cried softly until a hand touched her shoulder. “No more.” She said but was met with only a snort. “NO-! She shouted but Goku pushed onto her stomach. 

She couldn’t stop him, he punched back into her poor body and began to take her again, the pain lessened but still hurting. Her tears meant nothing to the man claiming her body, forcing her to take another orgasm from him but then shameful pleasure.

Except it didn’t stop, Chi-Chi’s cries turned to grunts, from grunts and groans, those groans into moans. Then those moans became cries, her tears mixed with pleasure and pain, the pleasure her body felt was being ripped apart by the pain in her heart. Pain for the man who was taking all of it from her.

Darkness claimed her several hours later, but by then Goku was still there. Spooning her into his chest, Chi-Chi tried to put what had happened down.  _ ‘He still loves me… He still loves me…’ _

[***]

But then the next day he was gone, Piccolo showed up and then that was it. Goku disappeared from her life.

Goku had partially raped her, she hadn’t done enough to stop him. If she would’ve quashed it from the start then it would’ve been on him. But she didn’t, it felt good at first, perhaps wanting to be a little naughty girl. But never did she want to be taken so violently and without her own consent! She had said no, stop, but begging and crying didn’t work.

It took a lot to get comfortable around people after that. If the man she loved could do this to her, imagine what someone whom she didn’t like. It left a piece of her confidence broken.

“Even with Kenyo we were never… really that intimate.” She would kiss him, and yes they’d had sex a few times. But she didn’t want to think about it, because Kenyo was a normal guy. Sweet, loving, passionate, compared to  **that ** time was a pale comparison. Goku had her writhing in minutes, cumming harder than ever. That night repeated a few times in her mind. But she told herself to hate it, to hate him!

But the feeling of his tongue, his fingers, and a long thick cock had always been there. “He left a mark on me, and one that I can’t ever get rid of.” 

Everytime she looked at her son she was reminded of how he came to be. It made her feel ashamed and only grew her bitterness. If Goku had cared at all he would’ve at least been able to apologize to her. Admit that he had been too rough and that he should’ve stopped. But did she get one? No way.

Goku acted like it never even happened… “I just wanted something from him. I wanted anything, after I dedicated my life to being his wife. Didn’t I mean anything?” She felt the stinging in her eyes. Even now he acted like before, goofy grins, smiles, fighting, eating. Where did she even fit in?

Life just wasn’t fair! She’d finally gotten over him, had a family, a happy life. Nothing exciting, no huge adventure. But she’d come to like it. For over a year she got to be really happy.

Then Goku reappeared and since then everything was flipped on its head. She lost her home, her dad, her husband, her friends, her village, everything except Gohan and  _ him.  _ “Dammit I don’t want to cry, I shouldn’t feel anything for him but I still do! It’s not fair to Kenyo…”

Then something jumped at her side, “Hiya Mommy!” Gohan exclaimed, Chi-Chi jerked slightly and grit her teeth as her body protested the act. 

“Gohan… oh you scared me honey.” Chi-Chi said, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Sorry.” Gohan said his smile wilting.

Chi-Chi relaxed and brought her one good hand down to touch his cheek. “It’s alright, I’ll be good as new in a few days.”

“Yay!” Gohan cheered and hugged her, Chi-Chi felt her body protest but she wasn’t going to turn down a hug from her… She sniffed the air. “Gohan…” Her voice low, her eyes narrowed.

“Just what were you eating?”

Gulp, “Nothin…” The toddler lied, forgetting that his mom had a super sense of smell. Chi-Chi breathed in again. “Young man, what did you eat?”

“I just had one.” Gohan said giving up that he’d been caught. “It was just an ice cream cone!”

“Why were you having ice cream, Gohan it’s not dessert time and those are terrible for you.” His mother said scoldingly. “Especially now, you can’t be eating sweets like that it’s not healthy.”

“But Goku said I could.” Gohan protested, he loved ice cream. Why his mommy didn’t let him have it he didn’t understand. Kenyo, Grandpa, and everyone else said it was fine.

“Gohan, that’s-”

“Hey Chi-Chi!” Goku’s voice said coming over with four large bags filled with an assortment of things. “Man that’s a walk, hopefully tomorrow I can jog it or fly.” He said, dropping the goods by the shed door. He looked at Chi-Chi and then to Gohan, but then back to Chi-Chi. Something appeared to be off but he couldn’t put a finger on it. Chi-Chi seemed annoyed and Gohan looked like he got caught doing something. “What’s up? I got some food, clothes, and other things you asked for.”

Chi-Chi sighed, “It’s fine. Gohan you can go play for a bit, but I want you within eyesight of me alright?” The little boy took his chance and quickly dashed off into the woods, going about fifty yards away before doing his usual play act of digging, climbing, jumping, and running in a hundred different directions.

“You alright?” Goku asked, coming over to her.

“I am fine.” Though her words lacked their usual punch. Instead she looked at Gohan who was having fun, any chance he got to run around he would take. 

Goku shifted and sat down where the bones of the fish once were. “You’re hurting.” She didn’t respond, there were many ranging emotions coming from Chi-Chi none of which were easy to understand. “Chi-Chi-”

“Don’t, please don’t Goku.” She didn’t want his concern. “I didn’t matter back then, don’t act like I matter now.” 

“Chi-Chi, I’m sorry.” He reached out to touch her but she scooted away from him. “I can get why you’re mad.”

“Really?” She drawled, rolling her eyes not buying that excuse. “Goku saying sorry doesn’t make up for what you did to me. You just can’t come back after three years do a few good deeds and think we’re going to be anything again.”

_ Maybe…  _ He looked at her, he didn’t understand. His brain had been wracking itself for over a week trying to recall what it was… but even he’d had a few guesses. It probably dealt with how Gohan was around. The  _ sex  _ thing, it’s what made babies, the act and process were still fairly murky but he got the idea that girls had eggs and boys had tadpoles.

“Chi-Chi, that night.”

_ Don’t, don’t you dare apologize. Don’t come to me now and ask for forgiveness. You don’t deserve- _

“I don’t remember it, the last thing I remember is being in your room, then waking up next to you. You were covered in white stuff, you smelled like a little blood and something else before I remember Piccolo showing up then I left.” 

Goku had to just clear the air, if he didn’t know what happened he couldn’t start making up for it. If Chi-Chi wouldn’t let him make up for it he couldn’t apologize the right way. “Chi-Chi I guess I did something bad to make you this angry, but I can’t remember that night… I don’t want you to be angry with me and I don’t like hurting people.” 

He moved himself and bowed his head down to the ground while on his knees. “I beg your forgiveness, for breaking the promise to marry you, for not remembering you and leaving you with a baby. So please Chi-Chi… give me a chance to make this up to you... “ He lifted his head up towards her and gave her an expression she’d never seen before.

“Chi-Chi I don’t want to lose you or our son, I want to give back your family but most of all,” He slid closer, daring to touch her hand with his. He was on one knee in front of her. “I want you to be happy.”


	7. Not So Bad

_ “You ask for my forgiveness? I will not hate you or be hostile towards you considering all that you’ve done. But I will not forgive you, the excuse that you don’t remember only tells me that I was a throwaway. That it had no meaning. You want my forgiveness? Then  _ ** _EARN _ ** _ it!” _

Chi-Chi hadn’t said anything more about it since that night, Goku didn’t try pressuring her either. He knew that she was still rightly angry, but she was at least being, well, nice-er? Letting him touch her, clean her wounds and even helping her into the water to bathe her down by the lake. 

The feeling of being around someone like this, the idea of sharing personal space with a girl had never really entered his mind. Yet Chi-Chi and Gohan were there, waking up to them and caring for them. This was what a  _ family  _ was. 

  
Seeing that Bulma had never really been family, he could make the comparison that Master Roshi was family like Krillin and Launch. He spent a lot of time with them, but this felt completely different. He was just with them to train and get stronger. They had become good friends, close due how many months they had been together.

  
This was different, like viewing things from a whole new perspective. Because it was nothing like when he was trapped in that other dimension with Piccolo. They both hadn’t been nice at first to each other. Piccolo often taking cheap shots to get his point across that Goku was being lazy or lax considering their circumstances. 

  
Then even to his early days traveling with Bulma, she sorta brought him along for the ride. She was sorta like a teacher to him at first. The dos and don’ts of the world were a foreign concept for him at a time. This felt more like his time with Grandpa that was his family, that was a clearer distinction.

  
Taking a few memories and using them with Chi-Chi, talking about the weather, the way the day looked and felt. It was the small talk that he got to enjoy when not talking about other things that she needed. Since both of their recoveries had been stunted due to their injuries it was probably safer to take things slow. Chi-Chi had suggested that Goku not go taking off until he was certain that he was better, it also made him smile a bit. If he had fallen out after taking off or got lost where would that leave her and Gohan? 

  
Sure, Chi-Chi had the ability to get up easily, walk around, lift small things without causing her body any major discomfort. A far cry from the bed-ridden woman who needed her son to help her get up after a few minutes of trying. 

  
It was the small hope that she had given him that told him that maybe after this was over that she and him could be friends again. Even if she was loud, bossy, and demanding at times. Chi-Chi only said things that made sense to him. Explaining to him why she needed tampons had been simple enough.

  
Freaking out that Chi-Chi had started bleeding for no reason had spooked him and he was looking to bandage her when she forcefully told him that he didn’t need to do anything. That she was having a period. 

  
_ The female body is way different than boys.  _ In a strange way, it was like training. He got to learn how to handle new things, granted there were a couple… dozen things he probably didn’t want to learn but it helped. 

  
Cleaning up after Gohan used the bathroom, which he had proudly made. The basic idea for an outhouse made sense. Dig big hole. Set large box over hole with a door to lead to large box covering said large hole. It wasn’t pretty but Chi-Chi said she’d take it over relieving herself in the woods. Though to be fair he never heard her relieve herself, she often pooped.

Then cleaning clothes, how to use detergents, making a clothes line so they could dry with clothespins. All of these things he never really bothered with before hand. Normally he’d just get new clothes or stitch up pieces until they fell apart.

He found it enjoyable since it was all three of them doing it. Well, Chi-Chi mostly instructing him and Gohan trying to imitate him. It was during these times he wondered what Chi-Chi was thinking, he saw her eyes on him and Gohan a lot when she thought he wasn’t looking. These were sparring glances, mostly out of the corner of his eye or when she was a bit far away.

  
She’d catch him staring and then either look away or scold him for doing something wrong.

He wasn’t even upset about that though, in fact it made this whole living arrangement fun! Plus he also had a great coach helping him in how to make Chi-Chi happy: Gohan. His son had taken an instant liking to him provided that he got to get to do certain things that his mom clearly didn’t approve of. But it was all for a good cause, Gohan wanted his mom to be happy and feel better since the incident. 

Sometimes Goku would catch her crying when he left to do errands or go off with Gohan so she could have some space. He knew how she felt though, when he lost Grandpa and was left alone he had to cry a few times but after a while he got used to being alone. By then of course he didn’t have the knowledge of the dragon balls. He probably would’ve used them to revive his Grandpa had he known. But that was neither the time or place.

He was busy clearing out the interior of the cabin with all the hay. He was doing ‘re moodelling’ or something. Chi-Chi just said she wasn’t having her and her son sleep on a bed of hay or have a wood and dirt flooring for the week or so that they’d probably still be out here. 

Once they were well enough, Goku would take them to a doctor to get checked out and then after that make their way to start their journey to find the dragon balls.

The anticipation of another adventure was making him excited, he just couldn’t wait! 

In the meantime… Goku laid down planks of wood before taking a nail and pushing it down into the wood. The act so simplistic but he got to see his progress, it was kind of like training in a way.

He made the floor a bright pine shade for now. Doing row after row in a short order, then going back outside to grab a layer of padding. Chopping the green foam in half before laying it overtop of the wood he had just created then using his ki to form it properly to the foundation with a little heat. 

Once that was finished, he rolled out the new carpeting, a drab gray color that was pretty soft. It didn’t take much effort just tearing the corners until it fit. 

All in all it took him maybe fifteen minutes to lay the wood and reset everything and once he stood back in the doorway and looked at his work he actually smiled. Proud of himself, he’d never done this type of thing before, it was interesting to see how he could make things like this so easily. Granted, Chi-Chi had spelled things out pretty simply for him to follow so that was a huge plus.

“Okay now I just need to do this insill..sula… Suuulation?” He said, not familiar with the foreign word or the bright pink squishy padding that Chi-Chi told him kept things warm. Since they weren’t going to be building fires inside this was what was supposed to help with that. He didn’t get it but why doubt Chi-Chi?

Lining the inner walls with the padding which came in nice fluffy rolls and then punching a nail through it into the wall, Goku had the entire place covered in no time at all. 

He then set about finishing up some plywood to cover it so they didn’t breath in the stuff, Chi-Chi had told him it was good for but bad for people to breath in. 

As Goku set about doing his task, Chi-Chi who had been standing back watching Goku work, felt herself watching him intently. She did not make her presence known as she was about twenty or so meters from him.

_ ‘What is it about you that drives me to stop and stare, what is this hold that after so many years you still keep me here wanting to go back to your side?’  _ Her inner monologue not helping the beating of her heart either. He’d done all of her requests without complaint, a smile on his face and a polite ‘you’re welcome’ when she approved of it.

She brought a hand to her chest, watching him work so fluidly, his expression never changing from that young cheeky grin that he had given her back when they were children. There was a beating there, a murmur of her heart that she had long thought dead and buried.  _ ‘Is this always who you have been? Is this all that you really are?’  _

For the years after he had left her she had done everything in her power to demonize him, hate him, berate every single good thing that had once been her love and admiration for his traits and qualities. But in such a short amount of time she had questioned these same thoughts and feelings. Was there ever a moment where Goku was not genuine?

_ No. _

He’d never lied to her, sure her proposed marriage had been a falsehood but because he did not understand. Once pressured he quickly conceded to their promise. Surpassing everything that she had once thought possible about her love for him. Refusing to back down, be defeated, and taking everything that Piccolo’s son could throw at him and come out on top. After he’d won and seeing him so happy…

Casting off Kami’s intentions of making him the new guardian of Earth. Telling Kami,  _ KAMI,  _ no thank you and grabbing her hand and taking off to go find her father. In that moment she had her heart beating out of her chest. Goku had turned that down to be with her.

_ ‘Is that why I still feel for you? That as much as I hate everything that you’ve done to me, that at your core you’ve never been anything but what I’ve seen. You told me that a new threat was more important than me, that getting back at Piccolo was now more serious than me.’  _ Chi-Chi struggled to control her thoughts which began treading back into a place she didn’t want to go. Because if she crossed that thin line, if she dropped off that cliff there would be no coming back from it.

It terrified her, made her worry that she might actually do something so foolish as to forgive his faults. But the other prospect of it was even more thrilling, it made her body yearn for something. To be loved by Goku, to be his.

Right now she was, but once this was over that would be it. Wouldn’t it? Goku promised to get the dragon balls and undo all of the terrible damage the moon had caused to her and her village.  _ ‘When everyone is back, what will that leave us with?’  _ Chi-Chi was concerned that she might want to stay with Goku. Despite the absurdity of any such feelings even existing.

_ ‘Why does he make me feel this way? No matter how much I try and hate him, it’s never increased since he came back. Seeing him in this way makes it seem like he’s not affected by anything I’ve said before.  _

Whenever anyone else messed up there was a lot of begging, pleading, crying, moping, and attempts to earn her pity. With Goku, there was nothing of the sort, he went about his day doing what she told him with a smile no matter her request.

_ ‘What am I going to do?’  _

Chi-Chi didn’t want this to happen yet at the same time she did. Something had to be wrong with her.  _ ‘Maybe once this is over I can let go of this. He can leave and do whatever he wants and this… thing can just be done with.’  _

She departed before allowing herself to sink further into that state of mind. Heading back to where Gohan was currently bathing himself in the streams and cleaning himself with some much needed soap. Her little boy had begun to stink, and she was not going to be that mother that allowed her child to smell, no matter the circumstances if she could help it!

Missing the fact that Goku saw her leaving as she held her hand still very close to her heart. Goku could only grin, this only confirmed what he already knew. 

_ Gohan was right. _

[***]

The toddler looked up to his mother as she came by with a fresh white towel. Happily raising up his arms, he cheerfully laughed as his mother dried him off. “You really are a wonderful Gohan,” she knelt down in front of him as he grabbed the edges of the cloth. “No matter what you’ve made your mother so very proud. I will never let anything happen to you, I promise sweetie.” Pressing a kiss into his forehead he came closer, his slightly damp hair pressing into her chest as she held him.

Her son had been the joy of her life, his rapid development had always stunned so many people. Perhaps she could attribute it to his environment but she’d be leaving out that the other half of what made Gohan,  _ Gohan.  _ Was nothing like him except in his energy.

Bringing up the towel to dry his hair he tucked his head so that she could properly get every bit of it, the little genius from his early days had begun catching onto everything people were doing around him and mimicking them in hours at most and minutes at least.

In less than six months Gohan learned to talk, in eight months he was walking though his body allowed him to go faster thanks to his tail.

Before he’d even turned one he had learned how to read and do math. His mind was a gift and Chi-Chi and Kenyo had devoted so many resources into building it that her little boy was going to be a prodigy before he turned five. That was so important to her, but as she could revel in how good her son was, she could also view what he had lost…

“Momma?” His head tilting up, exposing her eyes to the same rich brown.

“Hmm?” She replied, grabbing his pants for him to put on.

“Momma, why don’t you like daddy?” Gohan asked to which Chi-Chi sighed and shook her head. 

“Gohan I love your father, Kenyo is a great man. I know he’s not with us, but I still like him and I know you do too.” She wondered if Gohan had been thinking that since he hadn’t seen her husband that he might believe that she wasn’t feeling anything for him. 

With Goku filling in almost like a surrogate she-

Gohan tugged on her hand, “I heard you Momma.” That night when she thought he was asleep, he hadn’t been able to. He was holding close to her and breathing softly when his mom and dad started talking. “Momma, you said that he,” pointing in the direction of the little shack, “ was my father, is that true?”

_ Dear gods, he was listening to that!  _ She was caught completely off guard she stuttered, “Gohan, it, well… I.” This wasn’t the conversation she was prepared for. Explaining to her son that his dad wasn’t his dad, but that his dad was a totally different person. 

He pressed his bottom lip upwards giving his mother a look that told her two things, that he knew very clearly what he was talking about and that he wanted her to tell him the truth. 

She closed her eyes and brought her son close into a deep hug. “Honey… it doesn’t matter, who your father is doesn’t change anything, Kenyo raised you to be the man who you are.” She began to choke up, more tears reaching the edges of her eyes, that struggle to maintain her composure. How could she lie to her son? A mother couldn’t, but what would telling him the truth change?

_ I just want… I just want…  _ What did she want? The normal life she had before, where she had been consumed at the prospect of revenge and payback against Goku. Living with Kenyo in her father’s village and raising Gohan.

  
Or was it the temptation, that forbidden fruit of paradise that was just dangling within just a few more inches of her reach. Like teetering on a cliff to grasp and pull in that dream that had once consumed her growing up. 

Drag back down her suffering and bottle up what had been her life for the past three years or, did she not? It was not a choice she even wanted to make.  _ But someone else could. _

Stroking his hair with her hand, Chi-Chi nuzzled her head against his. “Gohan… what… what do you want? We can have Goku be your father, or did you not like Kenyo being your dad?”

“No I liked Kenyo, but Momma, Goku is so nice. He’s funny likes to talk, and he really wants to make us all happy. He’s a nice person, he doesn’t get mad or upset like Grandpa and other people. He smiles and tells me to be strong and good for you because he wants you to like him.”

Gohan pressed his nose into his mother’s shoulder, “I don’t care who my daddy is, I just wantto be with you. I want to be happy with you again, Momma.”

“I know, I know sweetheart.” She kissed his cheek, her tears breaking out. Chi-Chi couldn’t understand how easily her son wore her down, but then again there was no one like her son. “Our lives have changed a lot. It won’t be like it was before, but as long as you’re okay I’ll do what you want Gohan. I treasure your happiness.”

“If Momma is happy then I’ll be happy.” Gohan told her, his words only further reminding Chi-Chi of Goku. 

For her, her child wishing for her happiness over his own. It felt like a pill too hard to swallow. But Goku had done things for her without asking for anything, giving her aid while asking for nothing in return. 

_ ‘What do I do? What do I do?!’ _

The rest of the day slowly passed, Goku having finished his little task in a short amount of time - compared to that of a regular person - “So Chi-Chi what do yah think?” He said, grinning as she looked inside. The place looked completely different; there was carpeting and actual interior walls. But the improvement was actually two futons, one for Goku and the other for Chi-Chi and Gohan to share.

Aside from the obvious lack of finesse and the rough edges there was little to complain about, Goku had taken her advice and done something remarkable. “It’s, it’s nice Goku.” She said, looking to him and slightly nodding her head.

“I’m not much for the building of things, but I think I got the hang of it.” Goku moved and stretched his back and arms. He’d been itching to get out and stretch today he was feeling better as the days had gone by. While he couldn’t quite get airborne just yet he was able to make a decent jogging pace without feeling his legs ready to go out. The aches and pains still lingered but he felt a hundred times better.

Popping several kinks and cracking his knuckles. “Hey Cheech I’ll just be off for a bit. Going to get some stretches and a light training regimine in before dinner alright?”

He cast a backwards glance towards her as she just nodded, “That’s fine just don’t let dinner spoil since I’m cooking tonight.”

It had been awhile for her but she felt up to the task, not that she really trusted Goku around a large open pitfire and several boiling cauldrons thanks to the propane gas grill he’d found the other day.

That and she was just tired of feeling useless, her body was getting better, thanks in part to whatever had changed her so much since she had Gohan but overall she just wanted to do  _ something.  _ Plus it wasn’t like she couldn’t cook, she had prepared herself to handle the duties of her father’s maids and cooks when she at one time had thought she wouldn’t need them.

  
At least now she was thankful for having bothered to take those lessons to heart. Now she was really going to need them.

“Momma!” Gohan cried out running towards her from the small path. “Momma, Momma, Momma!” Each utterance was more excited than the last. 

“Yes, Gohan, what did you get yourself into?” Turning back as he grabbed at her sweatpants.

“I found him! I found him!”

“Who?”

* _ Squawk!*  _ A flutter of pinkish purple came through the air and Chi-Chi’s instincts caught it as he nearly barreled into her. “Oh my-!” A long tongue extended out to lick her shoulder and neck. “Hello Icarus.” The little beast squawked again before she set him back down. “I see why you were so excited.”

“Yeah! I haven’t seen him, but I have him back!” Gohan announced, proudly grabbing his ‘friend’ around the neck. “Can he stay? Please Puweeeheeze!?” He begged giving his mother the full pouty lips, puppy dog eyes and pathetic expression that was designed to crush a mother’s heart.

Sighing, Chi-Chi knew it was probably not the best of ideas but Gohan probably needed his friend to play with. “He can stay-” “YAY!” Gohan jumped upwards excitedly. “-But he can’t come inside, he can be outside in the hay that Goku put out.”

“Aww,” Gohan half whined. 

“Gohan, we don’t have enough room inside for him, he can be outside and he’ll be fine, okay honey?” She patted his head and his frown turned back into a smile.

“Okay,” He relented, kissing his mom as she leaned down towards him. “I’m going to keep playing then?”

“That’s fine, just make sure I can see you.” Chi-Chi told him, though the instant she turned back to making dinner the two of them took back off into the forests. Their roughhousing grew louder and allowed her to locate where they were far easier than it would if she was trying to actually see them.

She spent another twenty or thirty minutes finishing up. “Dinner!” She called out and without missing a beat Gohan and Goku reappeared. 

Taking a full breath in with his nose, “Oh man it smells great Chi-Chi!” He put a hand on her shoulder taking another strong whiff of the aromas. “If it tastes as good as it smells then I can’t wait!” Releasing her from his touch Goku walked over the small stumps they had set up as a makeshift eating area. He could’ve gotten them a proper table but he didn’t plan on them staying out here more than a couple more days. 

Hoping that once he recovered he would get Nimbus back and then return to take both of them to go find Bulma and get the dragon radar. Goku knew that Bulma wouldn’t turn him down in that regard, it was for a really good reason he needed it. Then he could start another fun adventure, that also being with Chi-Chi would be all the more reason to make everything up to her.

Sitting there smiling, he watched as Gohan and Icarus still roughed around with one another while Chi-Chi fixed a full plate of food on some paper plates. “Gohan!” Her voice rising to a snap brought the two out of play mode.

“Here, now go sit down and eat. No more carrousing until you’ve eaten and waited thirty minutes. I don’t need you getting cramps or an upset stomach.” 

“Okay…” Gohan sighed but happily took his plate and plopping down to where Goku was sitting began digging right in. 

Chi-Chi then filled up two other plates and then brought them both over. Offering Goku one which he took and then she sat with her own. All three parties save Icarus were happily eating away, their voracious appetites only increasing.

Spooning in large mouthfuls Goku almost groaned. “Mannn… Chi-Chi this is so good! This is way better than the stuff I eat. How do you make this so tasty?” He’d already downed half a plate as Chi-Chi had polished off a third but was trying to maintain a level of decorum despite her hunger.

“I learned how, it’s not too difficult.” Her eyes flicking to Goku for a moment then back to Gohan.  _ ‘This just feels strange.’  _ Taking another bite,  _ ‘Is this what it would’ve been like?’  _

Picturing herself at a table, Goku on one side, Gohan on the other. The two of them sharing a nice evening meal in their own home. The day’s struggles now gone as they got to enjoy each other's company. She, the perfect wife, making the day’s meals with Goku doing the yardwork and providing for the family while they raised their amazing little boy together. It was all that she had ever really wanted as a girl growing up.

“Chi-Chi?” 

She looked to him, he was staring at her concerned. “Chi-Chi are you okay?” He set his food down as Chi-Chi realized what was going on.  _ ‘Damnit I can’t be crying over this!’  _

“I’m fine just… Just give me a moment.” Chi-Chi set aside her plate and just made a beeline to the nearest place to just be alone for a few moments. Barely making it twenty meters before she stopped behind a tree. Covering her face she let out a slight wail into both of her palms. “None of this should be happening, so why is it? Why can’t I-”

Her words were stopped as she felt someone nearby, but she could tell who it was. “Goku… please just leave me alone, I need some time away from… from you.”

“No.” Goku told her coming closer. She had her back to a tree and he put himself right in front of her. “I’m not going to leave you Chi-Chi. I know something is bothering you and it's not just me.” Putting both of his hands on her arms he felt her go rigid. “Chi-Chi what’s wrong, talk with me. I can feel that deep down you’re hurting and I can’t understand why.”

He was doing everything that she asked of him, fixing the house, taking care of getting things. But still Chi-Chi never seemed to be happy, she never got better when they talked or spoke. There was no more outright hostility between them, yet he could still sense that something was off. 

Keeping herself hidden, acting as if he didn’t notice her eyes on him, then she would go about her day while pausing and watching him at the same time. There was still something that wasn’t coming out, he wanted to know what it was.

“You wouldn’t understand!” She growled, trying to be intimidating but her threats fell flat on Goku. He wasn’t like other men, there was nothing she could do or say that would make him back down. “Please just leave me alone.”

“No, I won’t let you hurt Chi-Chi, I want to see you happy. If there’s a problem tell me what it is so I can help. I know I'm not the best when it comes to feelings and stuff like that but I’ll listen to you Chi-Chi. I want to be here for you.”

She shook her head, “Stop saying things like that, you don’t even know what you’re talking about! I never mattered to you before so please stop acting like the Goku I wanted-” The words had come before her brain had the chance to stop them. 

_ Too late.  _

She slumped down slightly but Goku held her up. “Chi-Chi… I thought this is what you wanted?”

“It is! All of this is all that I wanted, I didn’t want to lose my entire village, my father, and another man who has loved me for years to get it though! But you don’t see that do you!” She grabbed at his shirt, her head falling forward slightly. “Everyday I look at you, everyday I see what I had been wishing for. But this is all pretend, none of this is really you. This is only because you feel guilty about something that you say you don’t even remember.”

She trembled as she let her emotions begin to free themselves. Everything about this was wrong, but there was another half of her almost wanting this. When she no longer wanted revenge, what had it be consumed by: wanting.

  
She wanted Goku again. If she couldn’t have payback against him then what else would there be? What if this was the love that she had been craving for so long, to have his eyes, to have his body and mind devoted to her. Even if they had broken apart that didn’t change her memories. Holding onto them so tightly for so many years had only furthered her desire for him.

It is what she had come to learn shortly after his arrival those weeks ago. She might have loved Kenyo, but she didn’t need him, didn’t crave his attentions and affections like she had this man. It was why she was hating herself, because her rational mind told her that wasn’t right. But her other side, that darker more primal side had come screaming to take this. Give her something... no someone who deserved her.

_ But why Goku, why him again? I just don’t- I can’t, why do I want to do it! _

A gasp escaped her lips before she could stop it, her head was pressed against a warm chest. A pair of powerful arms wrapped around her back and squeezed her gently. One hand cradled the back of her head, the other held the back of her waist.

“I’m not leaving you or Gohan.” He told her, the low seriousness of his voice leaving little to doubt the truth, he was meaning every single word. “I know how you feel, you’re struggling to move forward. It’s how I felt after losing Grandpa. But I want you to know that I will be here, I won’t let you do this by yourself. You and Gohan are important to me even though I haven’t really said it. But when I found you I blamed myself for letting that monster nearly kill you…”

His hands tightened more, “I let that thing take Grandpa from me, then because I wasn’t smart enough to be nearby you I wasn’t prepared again and it hurt you and so many people.” There was a short pause as he stared straight ahead. “I know I didn’t really understand what had happened between us that made you so mad. But after living out here for this past week I think I’m getting it, this is the type of life I had with Grandpa. The one he raised me in, it’s what you wanted but I didn’t know that this was what it was, but being out here with you and Gohan. Waking up with someone and having someone who’s depending on you, I think I get it Chi-Chi. You wanted me close, you wanted to have a  _ family,”  _ the words while familiar were almost strange. “I thought that my friends were sort of like my family, but they aren’t like you. They aren’t like Gohan either, I worry about you two when I’m gone and some nights I’m worried about what we’ll do if the monster comes back. I want to be here, I don’t want to leave, please Chi-Chi if you’re worried about me leaving I swear on my Grandpa that I won’t, that I will never abandon you or Gohan.”

He didn’t want to let them go, in those moments where he was reminded of the smaller things that occurred between him and Piccolo when they were trapped. The world and all of the things he once took for granted or a certainty were never guaranteed. Not when evil roamed the world, there was always something that threatened to rip that peace apart, but he wanted to enjoy his life more when he got back. 

_ I was seeking adventure. I just didn’t know that there was something… more. Seeing them only reminds me of the times when I was really happy. When it was just me and Grandpa the world didn’t matter. _

_   
_ _ When it’s been the three of us, the world doesn’t matter. I don’t care about tomorrow, I just want to be here I want to have that feeling again.  _

Chi-Chi’s hands turned into fists at Goku’s side. She wanted to strike him, fall to her knees and cry, wrap her arms around him and squeeze, a hundred different thoughts were running through her head. Which was the right answer?

_ In a logical world she would’ve made the logical choice. In an illogical world she would’ve made the wrong choice.  _ Chi-Chi was overwhelmed, it wasn’t a confession of love, but of understanding. He knew her pain, he wanted to take it away and stay with her and share this experience with her and their son. No matter how crude, angry, or crass she had been with him Goku didn’t hold it against her. Goku only smiled and took it on the chin. 

Embraced by the man she loved, told that he would never leave her. Her heart decided to take action. She turned into his face, and did not waste another moment. 

Goku’s eyes went wide, her hands were wrapped around his neck, the hard grip of her fingers along his scalp and the intense pressure now forced against his lips. It took him several seconds to understand. He kept her close backing her into the tree so that they might share a kiss.

Her lips moved against his hungrily, as if wanting nothing more than to eat him. The feeling of her chest heaving against him.  _ The taste, the smell. Why is it overwhelming?! Was it like this before? Kami… I just need him right now. _

Her tongue pushed forward and Goku’s responded, the two of them swapping a frenzied kiss as Goku felt himself being sucked closer to her. A pull from somewhere deep inside of him -  _ A flash of moonlight, the taste of lips upon his own, the smell of a warm body that tingled his nose and created a burning in his loins. There was someone beneath him -  _ Goku broke the kiss, taking a moment to breath though Chi-Chi took it the same as she did.

“Oh God, what came over me. I-I,” She stammered as she could see the surprise on his face as well, but missing that it wasn’t from their kiss. She might not have wanted it too happen like this and yet…

“We should go back.” Goku said withdrawing from her, Chi-Chi’s hands let go of him and the two looked at one another, they were still close and the streak of red across the other’s face did little to diminish what had just transpired. 

“Ye-Yes… Gohan is probably worried.” She slipped past him and went towards the camp, Gohan having a curious look on his face, apparently even Icarus knew something was happening as the little dinosaur watched both of them.

Coming over she went back to her duties trying to act unaffected, wiping her son's mouth she then gave him a smile, showing that she was alright. “Be a little neater Gohan.” She said teasingly as she could see the crumbs and smudges left behind. “We don’t forget our manners just because we're not eating on Chyna.” 

“Okay,” he said, sensing that his mother had calmed down since earlier. She took up her place beside him and began to eat again.

Goku noticed the changes a bit more, but he didn’t speak on them. Chi-Chi seemed less tense, her body and posture much more relaxed and when he sat down she just smiled and kept eating. Yet inside of him there was a conflict, that flash of a vision, or maybe a memory. All of it hitting him in a flash but then fading, he couldn’t recall it exactly but the remnants still lingered at the edges of his consciousness.

  
_ Was that… part of what happened that night?  _

The two kept quiet and their eyes away from one another for the rest of the evening. Exchanging a thank you and that was about it. 

Though as it got later Goku watched as Chi-Chi got Gohan ready for bed, she herself stripped down to her undergarments and climbed into her futon with Gohan already laying down on her pillow. Drawing her arm around her son and pulling his body back against her own, Chi-Chi let her eyes close and attempt to sleep. 

He came inside later, having spent a while outside to just think. That and he wanted both of them to be asleep when he did, the soft snoring of Gohan and Chi-Chi’s breathing had been the sign he was waiting for. 

  
Going to his spot laying just feet across from the two of them he just stared for a few minutes. He didn’t know what to really make of his interactions earlier with Chi-Chi. Although there was something else telling him that he shouldn’t be so far away from her.

It was like he wanted her body close, which for a person who usually liked his personal space he didn’t know why. Imagining Chi-Chi laying nearby, Gohan tucked into her arms while he held onto her. That image… felt  _ nice.  _

Thinking back to when he and Grandpa slept and how calm and peaceful it had been.  _ Would Chi-Chi like that? Would it be okay for us to be closer?  _

He rolled onto his side his mind stirring from all of these thoughts, but as he tried to sleep he found that an annoying problem had begun to spring up from within his boxers.  _ Not now…  _ Having to deal with himself when he got rigid like that was irritating but since he had company he’d have to just ignore it. Focusing on his breathing and calming himself in meditation was the better avenue but with Chi-Chi’s scent in the air it took him far longer to get that part of his body under control.

Especially when there was a hint of spice in the air, and it was coming from Chi-Chi. He didn’t know what to expect in the future but he was sure that he, Chi-Chi, and Gohan would be alright.


	8. Towards A Future

“Okay, you all set to go Chi-Chi?” Goku was sitting atop his new Nimbus, having gotten well enough to fly a greater distance he had gone to Korin’s tower and gotten a new friend and as luck would have it… Senzu Beans! 

It had been another two or three days, three days of awkwardness. But calmer family bonding, Goku and Chi-Chi spoke better. Gohan played more and enjoyed the company of his mother and father together. Not seperate like it was mostly before, it was nice. He got to see Chi-Chi smile more and more, she started appearing to be happy, and the two of them were speaking like they had been before he had left.

Goku started feeling some shame in himself since he had left Chi-Chi alone to have his son. It started clicking in his head why she was upset with him. Gohan while easy to handle sometimes, did require someone’s attention. He liked exploring, roughhousing, swimming, running, jumping, punching, kicking, throwing… the list was very long and tiring when Gohan wasn’t being instructed by his mom.

Chi-Chi was tired, and it was probably why she was living with her dad and that other guy.  _ I should’ve come back sooner. But I promise I’ll make it up to her. _

It was why he was speeding back home to share in his bounty. He had been given five of them, immediately he'd eaten one himself and felt a rush of power that hadn’t occurred in such a long time. Then leaving only four more, Goku had raced back on Nimbus, eager to surprise Gohan and Chi-Chi.

Ignoring talking to any of his friends on the way back, his priority right now was his  _ family.  _ Chi-Chi and Gohan needed him, they had lost everything and with her recovery still taking time he needed to get back to them first. 

Yet it wasn’t just that, he wanted to see her surprise when he told her that he was going to heal them. They wouldn’t have to see a doctor or anyone. A sense of pride came from the fact he was looking out for them. Perhaps a bit of redemption too, he’d failed to kill the moon monster but was going to undo the damage done to them. 

“The monster though, it’s still out there. It can still hurt Chi-Chi and Gohan again just like how it killed Grandpa, I have to stay with them because I know the monster will be back.” His own voice filled with that deep conviction, much like how he had been training with himself those years before Goku was certain he’d be ready the next time. 

_ I also hope Chi-Chi will be there too, together I know we can stop it! I just know it!  _ He told himself, riding up on the edges of the golden cloud that continued its direct line for his home away from home.

[***]

Chi-Chi was outside, tending to frying up some fresh potatoes, fish, and celery. She had found a farm not to far from where they were staying. Filling a small brown bag with food Chi-Chi turned back home that morning to begin cooking breakfast. 

Goku had taken off this morning to go get Nimbus back. Ideally taking them out of here… But then that also left Chi-Chi with another inevitable outcome heading towards her. “What do I do with us?” A month ago she wouldn’t have believed it possible, Goku, her, and Gohan all living together. And happily, that was the part that was probably the most upsetting to her and it was precisely because Goku filled into a role he had never been before.

The caring husband, even if he didn’t know it. The doting father despite never working with her son not once before. Then becoming the charming man who had captured her heart, spending his time once he had accomplished the tasks she had asked of him, but then came back and wanted to be with her. 

Before it wasn’t about being with her, she had to drag him along for the ride. Goku seemed skeptical when being proposed about marrying her, Goku always seemed more concerned about his stomach than their would-be future together. Yet ever since then Goku’s entire focus had been the opposite. Sure food was a priority, but Goku’s focus had been on getting that food for them. 

She sighed into the skillet that she was cooking before adding the salt and pepper. Dashing in just the right amounts before stirring them in with a metal spatula. 

As she fixed her food Chi-Chi diced up some more celery and grabbed an onion. Peeling off a skin with her knife freehand. She lifted up her one leg and swung her bottom foot forwards as a small orange ball shot out from the woods and caught her foot, the spongy material catching at the right angle and bounced back into the air arcing over the trees.

The sounds of childish screams flooded the air as Gohan and his partner in crime Icarus trampled through the foliage. The two were playing knock the ball around, when it stopped, well that was depending on breakfast. Chi-Chi’s senses were still tracking them as small trees were being toppled. Occasionally catching a glimpse of Gohan as he jumped up into the thick branches and swinging himself like a monkey through their leaves as Icarus jumped and used his smaller wings to keep chasing, beating them furiously as a way of maintaining balance between them.

“Well at least he is taking this in stride.” Chi-Chi remained stirring up the mix of vegetables while rotating the spicket holding the extra large fish. Grabbing some more powder Chi-Chi tapped a sauce pain with a brush before adding the flavoring to the fish and then drizzling a bit of the oil into the pan. 

Chi-Chi could practically taste the stir fry almost. Grabbing a sauce spoon she swirled up some of the broth and a few vegetables. Blowing them off Chi-Chi took a bite, chewing thoroughly she nodded. “Good but a little more salt.” She said before adding another pinch, “Should’ve been a chef.” Chi-Chi joked with herself as she set down the serving spoon and punched the orange ball coming back in her direction.

“Five minutes!” She yelled out to him, “Okay, Momma!” Her son replied in kind, despite not being seen. His voice bounced around the woods.

Keeping to her task, Chi-Chi almost missed the form diving down from the clouds. Landing with a clap on the ground, Goku, had reappeared. A beaming smile on his face, he reached into his brown bag and pulled out a small bean. “I got us some senzu beans, Chi-Chi!” Extending the small offering to her, Chi-Chi let it fall into her hand.

Her eyes studied it, recalling what Goku’s friends had given him at the tournament, they had fixed the hole in Goku’s chest and had restored his vitality. “Where did you get this?” She asked, but Goku just laughed. 

“I stopped by and saw Korrin, he had some and I already took one so I have three more. One for Gohan and two in case we need them later.” His eyes looked at Chi-Chi expectantly for something. “Once you eat it, you’ll be good as new!”

While she doubted she’d be good as new, she knew it could heal her still lingering injuries. Which was good enough for her, “Thank you, Goku.” And she saw his expression brightened even more.  _ He likes being thanked.  _

She popped it into her mouth. Chewing it several times before swallowing. “Hmm, well maybe-” Then it slammed through her. Chi-Chi’s arms bulged, her legs swelled up, neck flexing, and her entire back popped. “Feel better?” Goku asked knowingly, a grin on his face as his hands were behind his back.

Better? She felt like a new woman! All of her aches and pains were gone, her muscles felt stronger than ever, she even felt bigger even if marginally. “That was… wow, thank you, Goku, that was amazing.”

“Aww, you’re welcome Chi-Chi.” He then slid up next to her and kissed her cheek. For some reason Chi-Chi turned really red when he kissed her face, he hadn’t been able to kiss her on the lips but when he did kiss her hands, or cheek she got extra flustered.

“Oh, you stop!” Blushing like a schoolgirl she tried pushing him away, but Goku wasn’t deterred. He brought his hands around her hips and tried to sneak in another kiss. But she attempted to block him. “No Goku, we have to have breakfast ready.” But damn if she didn’t want him to leave another peck on her cheek… or on her lips. 

_ But why am I stopping him?  _ Was it loyalty to Kenyo? She couldn’t find that exact answer, but Goku’s playfulness wasn’t ending.

“But you like it.” He teased, trying to sneak in another smooch but she turned her head, “Come on Chi-Chi, don’t be so mean!” His voice sounded offended, but there was that childish playfulness coming right out. Kissing her made her happy, she liked having attention. So attention he would give.

  
“What’s gotten into you?” Twisting her head, Goku’s lips found her neck, “Ahhha, Goku… s-stop!” She said laughing as his lips began to nibble at the side of her neck.

“Nothing’s gotten into me, just wanted to hear you laugh.” Goku said, pulling back as Chi-Chi twisted back around, trying her best to look angry at him but it was hard when you just spent several moments laughing because he had learned where she was ticklish.

A smile still lingered on her face though she tried to pull it into a frown,  _ I give up.  _ “Alright fine, you got me laughing. So what is the plan now?”

“Well we can give one to Gohan next, but I think he’s okay that we can just hold an extra one incase we need it. But we can probably head to Bulma and talk with her about loaning us the radar, then it shouldn’t take more than a week or two to get the dragon balls.” Goku told her, counting the steps with his fingers. “Sound good?”

Nodding her head in agreement, “Yeah that should be fine.” 

Taking a few moments to gather up some of their belongings Chi-Chi then paused as she stood in the doorway of their shanty home. Bracing her hand on the frame she just looked inside her eyes drifting off into a long blank stare.

_ ‘Is this it?’  _ Perhaps a part of her wanted to stay like this, but the more logical side of her. The part that she had often reasoned with and talked with herself for a long time did not agree with it. As much as it had been welcomed, or even appreciated. Chi-Chi looked at a lot of things differently, from outright hating the man weeks ago to now being comfortable sleeping just feet from him. Having his hands touch her again, kissing her, although not like before. Soft playful teasing kisses, the kind that she gave to her own son he returned to her.

Apprehension was probably the best way to put her mind in a measure of perspective. Their relationship, their bonding, and her new life in general since then had been flipped upside down. Her rock had become Goku, his face in the morning. His compliments, and conversations had become the highpoints of her day. Leaving this place only spoke of the possibility of him actually leaving her again.

_ ‘Would he leave us again? Then again, how will I go back to normal after this? Can I just pretend like it never happened when I know that in my heart I still love that man.’  _ Rational or irrational, blind trust or logical answers? All bets were off when it had come to Goku in her life, appearing, disappearing, and being the most unexpected person to whom she had ever met. 

In some way at the end of this adventure she was going to end up hurting herself, her family, and someone she cared deeply for. Only who she hurt was left up entirely to her.

Goku remained off to the side as she packed up, his eyes following Gohan as he played around with his pet dinosaur. His eyes drifted back towards Chi-Chi realizing that she had just completely stopped. Looking into the house they had shared together with their son. There was a lot of tension in her expression. The way her legs were no longer loose but tense, her fingers curled around the frame, and her expression was no longer calm but angry and upset. He must’ve been staring too hard because her eyes turned towards him. The face shifted quickly, “Sorry I was just thinking. Just give me a moment.” She then stepped inside leaving Goku back with similar feelings in his own stomach, it was like when she got upset with him about possibly up and leaving her again. 

_ ‘I won’t leave you Chi-Chi, not like last time.’  _ He spoke to her mentally though she could not hear him, he approached the doorway. Chi-Chi turned to him, her eyes speaking more than her lips ever could… 

If there were a set of words that he could say to assuage her fears he would say them, but there wasn’t anything that came to his mind that told him the proper answer. Chi-Chi wasn’t over what had happened between them, so much so Goku believed it would take a long time for her to truly forgive him. Seeing how much effort she put into caring for Gohan. Getting him studying - which he didn’t enjoy growing up with his own grandpa and with Roshi - curtailing his temper and crying where as he would give in to his son.

Watching in some respects how his friends had tried to help him grow up, but it was being imparted upon a smaller version of himself and while he hadn’t spent the same amount of time around his new family. There was something internal, almost instinctual that required him to be there for them and to make sure that both of them were happy. Whether he could equate that to getting a little older, or just how his life had gone in the past three years, he wasn’t exactly sure.

The family gathered up on Nimbus, the earlier interactions put behind them. Chi-Chi sat in Goku’s lap, Gohan doing the same in his mother’s and Icarus currently held in Gohan’s hands. Apparently leaving him behind was off the table as Chi-Chi wasn’t going to try to handle dealing with that aspect of her son bawling over not being able to bring his best friend.

Since, well, his entire village of people who looked after him were dead, there was probably little in the way of children that would be understanding of her unique son and his above average physical strength and intelligence.

At Goku’s behest he pointed towards the sky and the family took off, Gohan elated at the prospect of flight just cheered in delight, his mother leaning back into Goku’s chest and just closing her eyes, her own arms around her son’s stomach. Goku looked forward but rested both of his hands on Chi-Chi’s hips. His fingers not squeezing her too tightly, but neither was he letting her go.

[***]

_ ‘Remind me to put a bell or a GPS on him…’  _ Bulma looked up in surprise as Goku stopped just twenty feet from her. Resting atop Nimbus, “Damn cloud still probably hates me I’ll bet.” Relenting Bulma was apparently not going to be getting her day off. While normally she’d be more, or well within her right to bitch someone up and down the street for intruding upon her. 

The sky had been covered by a thick overcast, the rolling in clouds bringing in a darker tone and low off rumbles but no rain. It seemed sort of an omen to Bulma, but she was never one for superstitions like the weather. As a woman of science she would need a bit more than that.

_ Can’t very well say much for someone I owe my life to, on more than one occasion now can I?’  _ She didn’t believe she’d ever have the heart to turn down the guy who was practically her little brother at times.

  
But today it seemed she was going to be introduced to some new friends apparently. Her blue eyes watched as a young woman, looking much more like a hardened fighter than some girl in need of saving and a little boy who was looking around holding a small pink dinosaur. She couldn’t wait to hear this story because it had to be good. “What brings you out to my neck of the woods, Goku?” Her voice calling out as the orange gi wearing fighter just looked to her and waved.

Gohan cocked his head slightly, though remaining by his mother’s side, not sure of what to make of this entirely new place. The large dome, all of the flying cars, and so many people and smells. It wasn’t like any place he had ever been before. 

Chi-Chi took note of Bulma, though unfamiliar with Goku’s friends. She did at least recognize Bulma Briefs, though she appeared far more provocative on her first introduction which made her initially question if that really was her or not. But who was she to judge that bunny outfit to what she had been wearing when she had met Goku.

Goku came over to his old friend, giving her a short hug. “Hey Bulma, I need a favor.” He said not beating around the bush. 

  
“Figured it wasn’t a social call, never with you.” She sighed, but she did smile, leave it up to her old pal to come running to her when he needed help. “How have you been though, haven’t seen you in a few months?”

Goku brushed off her comment, “Got beat up by the moon monster and have been living with my family for the past couple weeks until I was good enough to fly and get some senzu beans.” 

_ ‘Family? Okay, whoa-!’  _ She looked past Goku and saw the other girl, she looked awfully familiar to her.  _ ‘Maybe he means like… they are like his family now?’  _ She decided to play it off as a joke, giving a fake laugh. “Oh what did you have a kid while we were gone, Goku?”

“Wow was it that obvious?” Goku said his eyes a bit wide that Bulma had guessed it. But his friend really was smart, well smarter than him anyway.

She blinked once, twice, looked to Goku, looked to Chi-Chi, and then her eyes fell down upon a small boy who… “Oh my god. Goku, when did you go and start a family?!” She was almost shouting, “When did this happen and why did you not tell me! I mean sheesh Goku, I woulda thrown one hell of a baby shower if I knew that someone was going to give birth to your first kid. Why didn’t you tell me?!” Perhaps being offended wasn’t the best, but she was genuinely ticked that Goku had a friggin baby and he didn’t even tell her?  _ ‘Ask me for favors but don’t drop the hint that you are starting a family, sheesh Goku!’ _

“Uhh well it’s complicated you see-”

“Bulma, isn’t it?” Chi-Chi said, interjecting. Putting a hand on Goku’s chest telling him silently that she would explain their present situation better than he could.

“Yeah,” she almost sized the other woman up, a good looking raven-haired woman.  _ I swear I know her.  _ “Have we met?” Wondering just who could have the patience to deal with Goku’s antics, not that she hadn’t pondered the idea of marrying the cute dolt but had backed off seeing just how crazy Goku’s adventures were, she didn’t need the added stress.  _ But if I did have Goku’s kids they be friggin adorable. _

Chi-Chi tossed her hair back slightly, arrogantly, “Yes, at the 23rd tournament. I was the one who fought Goku and I’m the current mother of Goku’s errant child, and before you ask he didn’t know about my son until but a month ago.” 

She paused, gave a slight nod to Chi-Chi picturing her now though she had changed a little from the last time he saw her then promptly smacked Goku upside the head. “What the hell is wrong with you!”

The blow was too fast even for him to see coming, “Oww, Bulma, what was that for?” Grabbing his cheek taking a step back as Bulma looked ready to keep swinging on him.

“You knocked some girl up, you jerk! I can’t believe you’d be that irresponsible, of all the things you’ve pulled Goku!” Her hands were on her hips as she leaned towards him aggressively, wanting to throttle him but since he was aware her chance had probably passed. She looked to Chi-Chi, “I’m so sorry for the earlier greeting, but I guess that there’s a story to all of this?”

“It’s complicated,” Chi-Chi admitted, “but this is our son.” Her hand dipped in a gesture to her little boy, “This is my little genius prodigy, Gohan.” She put a hand behind his back and gently pushed him forward.

The small boy still holding onto Icarus looked up and gave a soft but polite ‘hi’ before directing his gaze back down. The blue-haired heiress could easily see the resemblance, but the little brown furry tail sticking out from Gohan’s backside… well that was another warning bell. She looked back up into Chi-Chi’s face before offering her a hand. “Bulma.” She said, the other woman gave her a nod and shook her hand. “Chi-Chi.”

“Well now that we’re acquainted how about you follow me inside. I’m sure there’s a longer story than what Goku’s telling me and I-”

“Bulma, we came here for the dragon radar, the story can wait when we bring it back.” Goku interjected. 

  
“What on Earth do you need the radar for?” 

Goku looked down, not used to admitting his own failings, but Chi-Chi answered for him. “It’s for me, my village, my home, and my family were all killed during this giant monster attack. Though it is painful to admit, even me and Goku weren’t a match for it. It crippled me for days, hurt my son, and put Goku down and we didn’t even barely manage to slow it down.” She bowed her entire upper body, “Please can we have the radar and undo the damage that the monster caused before other people get hurt.” 

Despite that goal however after they achieved it, where did they go from there? Playing pretend could only go on for so long. It was inevitable.  _ Wasn’t it?  _ She forced her thoughts down, her feelings to that were irrelevant, she had to resurrect her village. Saving hundreds of people’s lives were more important than her present baby daddy issues with Goku.

Bulma looked to Goku who nodded his head, admitting defeat. “It almost killed Chi-Chi, I barely saved her life. It put me out of commission for over a week, I had to limp along and find Gohan amongst the debris.” Putting a hand down on his son’s head, “He was lucky to have made it out with as few injuries as he had.” 

“Wow,” It was all she could think to say at the moment.  _ Goku got beat? I never imagined it.  _ “Well alright we can do that. Just give me some time. But I’ll have to do a little work on it to make sure it’s calibrated right and not going to break when you’re using it.”

“Great, thanks Bulma.” He added with a smile, Goku just knew that Bulma would get it. 

“Not a problem, and I’m sorry for what happened to you and for hitting you a moment ago. Although.” She bit her bottom lip, was it appropriate?  _ I’m a sucker for gossip and it’s not like I don’t want to know.  _ “Could you explain you two? I feel like I’m missing something, considering what is going on.”

“Okay, but can we eat?”

“Goku we just ate before we flew over here.” Chi-Chi sighed, he could work all day and not ask about food, but spend ten minutes talking to the guy and he needed a meal. 

“I know, but I never get to have Bulma’s cooking that often, besides I think Gohan would like to have some fun and not be stuck listening to all of the boring parent stuff.” Goku said with a grin, “Bulma you do still have that giant play room filled with animals right?”

“It’s not a playroom it’s my mother’s sanctuary for all her animals. But fine, I’m sure a-a… how old is he?”

“He’s going to be three in a few months.”

_ Wow and he’s already talking and walking like a little Goku? Holy crap, must be Chi-Chi’s genes running that show.  _ She knew Goku was never the smartest of friends, but his innocence was also a good thing. Although with the revelation of him running out on a woman after knocking them up. That was another line of questioning she’d want explained. “Well follow me inside, let me get some fresh coffee and then I’ll get cracking on that radar in a bit.”

“See Gohan, you and Icarus can really have some fun here.” Goku said patting his son on the back, the little boy’s mouth dropping open at the sight of so many animals. From long necked dinosaurs, to roaming dogs, cats, birds, and all other manners of disregarded pets that found shelter in Bunny Brief’s animal sanctuary. Each one taken care of remained as they were no longer capable of being returned back to the wild or just didn’t want to leave the comfortable estate and their doting owner.

“Now go-” Before he could say ‘have fun’ the little boy exploded with Icarus behind him, taking a chance to do several zig zags around the large dinosaur munching on a tree before running up its tail and onto its back. The old creature barely turned its gaze back at the small weight being added to it before going back to his meal. 

“Heh, just like me.” Goku laughed, his son taking off into all manner of directions looking at every single animal, while he did the small pink pet squawked and carried after him.

He stood there with his hands crossed over his chest and leaning against the doorframe. All he saw in his son was himself and it made every moment he’d spent with him worth it, thinking about how he’d be able to train him in the future, make him bigger, stronger, faster than even himself.  _ One day the tournament may start up again and I’ll see my own son win it.  _ Goku had already risen to that challenge, but he would want his son to do the same, but that would be another discussion to have with Chi-Chi.

  
One of many he was sure, because he had begun picking up on small things. She was no longer mad at him, irritated at times sure, but she wasn’t looking out to punish him or anything like that. No Chi-Chi was getting worried because of conflict.

_ The same type I had when I approached Gyu-Mao about seeing Chi-Chi again,  _ knowing that they didn’t have the same experiences that he did with her. Relating to Bulma’s reaction to when he had told her that he had a child with Chi-Chi and immediately was whacked upside the head.  _ Even if Chi-Chi forgave me, not everyone else would.  _

Not that he cared what he and Chi-Chi were, he just wanted to be with them. In a strange way he liked them more than his usual friends and he wasn’t equating that to just the time spent with them.  _ Because in more ways than one they are more like me, Gohan just fills me with memories of Grandpa. All of the fun I had when I learned from him, I want to share those same thoughts with him.  _ The exception of all of that being the moon monster that had taken his first family member and nearly the other two in a single unexpected night.

Leaving Goku with Chi-Chi, who he found unique, there was nothing she asked of him - well not after the fact - before it was just getting married and his usual lack of focus which had become more glaring over time showing its face.

Goku could also feel that this was some sort of challenge, or chance to improve himself as a person, sure it may not involve fighting or combat training. But this was another way for him to start growing, since he’d spent that year with Piccolo alone in that other universe he wanted to experience more.

_ Surely this will be a great new experience. _

He remained longer than he probably should have but he enjoyed seeing Gohan horsing around, or fooling around as Chi-Chi often put it. A strange smile on his face, he just kept himself there not willing to break from the scenery in front of him.

On the other side of the compound was Chi-Chi and Bulma, the blue-haired woman not going quite for the dragon radar like she promised. She needed some serious answers, and acting more like a big sister she had some questions for Chi-Chi.

Namely; what happened?

Bulma sat on one of the leather seats decorating one of several living rooms, Chi-Chi sitting across from her, hands resting in her lap taking the woman’s questions without too many complaints. Learning from the horse's mouth so to speak that Goku and Chi-Chi had a one night stand wasn’t unexpected, the manner in which it happened and its results were another.

_ Never would have ever pegged Goku for that kind of behavior. But I guess I don’t really see him as some type of sex crazed lover or even intrested in anything like that given how gentle he is when around us.  _ Chi-Chi seemed like a hardy woman, and given that she and Goku had gone at it hard and neither broke was another example of how strong she had to be to keep herself together. Considering the heartache the poor girl had gone through it was remarkable to see her acting like the princess she was.

“Then this monster… could you describe it?” Wanting to broach the topic gently.

Chi-Chi grabbed some of the snacks set out and calmly took a bite of a tin vanilla wafer before starting. “It was massive, easily forty or fifty feet tall, maybe ten or twenty tons of pure muscle and power. It was just a mess of brown fur, a long snout, and big glowing red eyes. Its breath was like fire and no matter how many times I dropped it, it took it and came back for more.” Her fingers popped the thin crisp in half, tossing another into her mouth as she continued. “I felt my ribs ready to spear my lungs, my body was beyond crippled in that moment, I was just ready to embrace death until I lost consciousness. I can barely remember what happened, I just remember falling and then… pain, so much pain, but Gohan was there by my side and then all of that didn’t matter so much anymore after I thought I lost him.”

_ ‘Oh no… I know what that monster is but… was that monster?’  _ “Say… Chi-Chi you’ve never seen that monster before the night Goku appeared right?”  _ ‘Goku… he transformed again, but how?’ _

The other woman nodded, “I didn’t believe Goku’s wild stories when I should have, he’s never lied about anything.” Misunderstanding was another.

“Yeah… well that monster,”  _ ‘Think Bulma think, what do you say? I’m sure Goku didn’t try and kill her, but considering the beating both of them took. Wouldn’t it make sense? Goku was almost beaten by Roshi in the 21st tournament when like that, and now Chi-Chi who went toe to toe with Goku twice nearly got killed. I mean it would make sense that it was him stomping around.’  _ “You’ve never seen it before, when Gohan’s been around right? You do know that it has a history with Goku?”

“What do you mean, what does Gohan have to do with it, or are you saying that monster has a thing for Goku?” Chi-Chi’s eyes narrowed as she took the other half of her broken piece and chewed it. Trying to follow just what exactly Bulma was implying.

Holding up her hands, trying to diffuse that she meant that Goku was the direct result, which she could assume was, but she didn’t want Chi-Chi hating Goku for something he probably couldn’t control. “I mean that thing killed Goku’s Grandpa right… and his grandfather died when the full moon was out and Goku barely remembers anything about that I mean there’s a lot of times when the full moon is out Goku gets kind of… well, weird or well, weirder.”

These questions were being led somewhere, Goku seemed to be involved with this monster. Despite the absurdity of that statement.  _ But Goku acting weird when the full moon is- Just like when Goku, no-no- we’re not dredging that up!  _ Closing off that part of her mind. Chi-Chi recalled the night before they were attacked.

“You mean when the monster attacked? Goku was acting strangely, but what does that have to do with it? The night when certain  _ things happened  _ he was a totally different person.” Her mind was trying to assemble a puzzle right now, Bulma knew something. “You know something,” She was now boring into Bulma’s eyes, the coal blackness of her eyes filling the shimmering blue ones that were displaying some panic.

“It’s not like I’m trying to hide it, but well, I don’t know how to explain it. You see Goku’s-”

“I’m what?” His head appearing in the hallway. “Sorry, I heard my name,” He said coming around the corner with a smile. “Gohan is actually having a blast and the animals too, so I figured to see what you guys were up to.” He came over and took a seat as well, he knew something was going on, he had been hearing Bulma start talking about Grandpa and the moon, that and it somehow involved him being “weird”. Granted he did have blackouts and strange flashbacks during full moons but that wasn’t his fault.

“Goku, this is, well, it's really hard to explain in fact-”

A heavy crack of thunder almost exploded overtop of them, the arcing bolt streaking downwards and striking Capsule Corp directly with its massive size. However the facility was designed to withstand such things- but it didn’t stop the entire place from blacking out momentarily. 

Bulma yelped almost jumping as Chi-Chi and Goku barely flinched, the rising hair on their arms being the only signal that they were alarmed in the slightest. Considering what they had been through already in their lives lightning wasn’t that terrifying.

“Excuse me, I have to make a quick check of something.” She said hastily excusing herself to go take a quick look of the main security panels and see if there was anything tripped or any major alarms.

The lights flickered for a bit before a low rolling hum came over, Bulma recognizing it as a backup generator for the complex. But as she left them alone, the heiress wondered what she could say to them? Would she bring it up to Goku or Chi-Chi?  _ I know that neither are trying to hurt one another, but I can’t just let them go around like that and have Goku transform like that again. _

As a storm rolled through the area, battering the entire complex with a heavy deluge of summer rain and thunderstorms it left little options for Chi-Chi, Goku, and Gohan to take themselves on their journey. 

_ ‘Waylaid by a storm? Could I consider it a good or a bad thing?’  _ Chi-Chi wondered later, as the rain still continued to pour down and would for several more hours. Resting in the same living room, on the couch. Stretched on her side, one hand running along her side, mostly over the extremely tuckered out Gohan who was sleeping quietly by his mother. Having played to his full heart’s content with all of the Briefs animals which were overdue for an extended nap as well.

Her head laid against the sofa armrest and just remained idle, her mind pondering at the same time where Goku might’ve gone for awhile.  _ ‘Probably looking for food if I had any guess. Not that I’m feeling a bit hungry myself, we haven't eaten since this morning and I don’t think Goku is going to waste a senzu bean on something like hunger.’ _

Taking a moment just close her eyes, Chi-Chi decided to let a little sleep take her as well. Missing the sounds of Goku’s footsteps coming around the corner, his hands in his pockets. A bit of a strained look on his face, one that barely lasted as it was replaced by a covering smile or goofy laugh. 

Stopping just behind the sofa Goku looked down at his family and thought aloud with a soft voice. “What do I say?”


	9. The Easy Part

“Wow, I can’t believe this is so easy!” Chi-Chi remarked, her hand holding a shining three star dragon ball. She had plucked this up from the middle of the desert, having required a few sweeps of her foot to unveil the hidden treasure. But she was the only one who seemed to be having any sort of enjoyment on a magical treasure hunt.

They were already up to four of the magical spheres, none of them apparently guarded by some army or giant beast - well, one that could challenge them - the hardest one had been just waiting for a mother pterodactyl to leave her nest so that they could safely retrieve the one star ball. Not wanting to just throw the thing out and avoid any unnecessary hassle that would be caused.

Most of their time had been relaxed, going from location to location. As most of the dragon balls appeared to be on land and fairly in the open. She’d been worried if one of them could be deep in the ocean or buried somewhere in a mountain. But for the most part none of those possibilities seemed to have occured.

“Goku?” Her voice quipped, noticing that he seemed far more aloof than normal. He’d been acting strange, though strange being a difficult word when trying to explain the change in behaviors that she saw with Goku, he was always remarkably cheerful at times. But now, he seemed distant, while the smiles were there, there seemed to be something that he wanted to say.

In fact she was certain of it, because  _ ‘I have something I want to say to you too.’  _ There little foray had been digging at her heart in so many ways. But she wanted to come clean and just talk with Goku. She understood that this could change their entire relationship. They had already gathered five of the dragon balls already in less than a week. With the benefit of Nimbus and both of their exceptional strength and skills they had been gathering them at a record pace. 

This seemed almost trivial by comparison, but whatever Chi-Chi had been dealing with her heart in regards to him, they had never been easy. Goku wanting to be  **with ** her but not in love with her. Sure he cared about her, but was that more because of what had happened or because he felt something for her? Was this attraction because she had Gohan, or because of who she was?

She was ready to just lay her cards down on the table and see what happened, considering the way their journey seemed to be coming to a close. It would be better if they took it upon themselves to talk things through before the chaos started.

_ ‘Seems like we’ve both been steeped in it for a long time.’  _ Nothing about any of this had been simple or straightforward like she would’ve liked.  _ ‘If only we both knew what we both knew now, this probably wouldn’t have happened.’  _

Goku looked up at her, a sullen look on his face, aimlessly kicking a rock as he had been struggling to say something, much like Chi-Chi had guessed - though she didn’t know it - Bulma had a short, but direct conversation with him. Telling him something that shocked him, it was so shocking that he wanted to think it was crazy. But maybe it didn’t, the night of a full moon, he blacked out and had sporadic memories. Most of them felt like dreams but, “After what Bulma told me, I wonder if they really were dreams?”

_ ‘Goku, look, I never wanted to tell you this but… But I have to! You have a family to look after and with what happened I have to be honest with you.” Bulma took a step back, took a full breath and then just hit him with it. “Goku, everytime you see the full moon you transform into a giant brown furry monster.” _

_ He blinked once, twice, then waited, and waited. “I’m serious!” Bulma exclaimed, “Look, Goku, you do, you broke Pilaf’s castle and nearly ate me, you also transformed when fighting Jackie Chun in the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. Anytime you see the moon you just go berserk, and with what that monster you and Chi-Chi described… well that’s exactly how you looked!” _

_ Goku still said nothing, his jaw going a bit slack, but Bulma had to say it, she couldn’t be ignorant of everything. Plus with Goku traveling around she couldn’t risk what might occur if Goku transformed again. “Goku… you’re like family to me and I don’t want to say any of this, but I have to because I don’t want it to be on my conscience even though I should’ve told you before, but we thought it wouldn’t happen again…” Putting her hands on his, she looked him square in the eyes with as much compassion as she could show him. “I know you don’t do it on purpose, but Goku, you probably killed all of those people in Chi-Chi’s village and didn’t remember. You nearly killed Chi-Chi and your son, and as much as I know this might be cruel to say I have to. Goku… I think- I think you-” _

_ “No!” His voice finding itself again, “Bulma, please, please don’t say what you were going to-!” Desperate to not hear something so terrible. It was enough to rip his heart in two, he’d heard enough and he was never going to forget it. He had killed those people? Why? But he remembered going to stop Chi-Chi from being outside when the monster attacked… or did he? His mind was fuzzy, had he really gone and told her that or did he pretend that he did? But Chi-Chi remembered him talking to her… but then. Then? Then what?!  _

_ He grabbed at his head and tore away from Bulma, the harsh truth hitting him square in the face. Bulma hadn’t wanted to tell him until now. That he was the monster that he had done truly terrible things to his friends and to his family. But that wasn’t just it, a monster that appeared during the full moon, one that his grandpa had warned him about. ‘It… It was...’ _

_ “Goku!” Bulma’s voice snapped him out of it for a moment, “Goku you’re not that monster when you’re like this. You didn’t recognize anyone when you were like that, and I understand that you are taking this all suddenly. I don’t blame you for any of it because you don’t have control over it.” _

_ She wanted to reassure him, tell her dearest friend that just because he did have his… fits. That didn’t mean everything was because of him. That he was just a mindless beast rampaging about, because that’s not who she saw. Goku would never hurt people, but when he was lost in that bestial form. That wasn’t the one sole thing that defined him. _

_ In her eyes he had always been the young gentle soul, trying to do right by everyone. Even when they were purposefully misleading him. He still went along trusting in people to do the right thing when they clearly weren’t. She owed him a lot, having saved her but many times so it made her feel terrible to break this news to him.  _

_ It wasn’t the right time, but would there ever be one? She’d let this catastrophy befall Chi-Chi and her village by not speaking up. She had to stop it from happening a second time. Goku’s ability to transform made sense, his memory loss, and all of the injuries sustained. Who else could’ve taken such a beating besides him from someone like Chi-Chi who was now giving Goku a run for his money in terms of strength? _

_ Bringing her arms around him, “Goku you are doing the right thing, you are making all of this up to them and I know that all of the good you’ve given to this world already far outweighs anything you’ve done before in your life.” She did her best to squeeze him tightly. “Don’t stop believing in yourself, Goku. That woman out there cares for you despite what happened and you love your son. There is something good that can be gained from this and you are doing the right thing.” _

_ Goku didn’t say anything for a few minutes but he did bring his hands around his friend and just rested in her embrace. All of this… was it truly all his fault? He couldn’t understand it, but… but it made sense? Didn’t it? His head was hurting, “Bulma.” Speaking almost a full five minutes later. “I- I didn’t know.” _

_ “Shh, you couldn’t have known. I know we all should have told you sooner, but we thought that it was over that you wouldn’t transform anymore and that is our fault for trying to be nice and spare your feelings.” _

A hand on his shoulder drew him back to the present, the voice of his friend faded into nothing as Goku looked at Chi-Chi. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, no,” He mumbled, not sure how to express himself. “I don’t really know. I just had my friend tell me something and it’s just… well taking a lot out of me thinking about it.” Now confronted with some type of truth, did he dare tell Chi-Chi that it was him? That he had been the reason her entire world had been turned upside down again.

A heavy weight was hanging around him now and he wasn’t sure how to express it. Considering everything he had already done to Chi-Chi, would him telling her that it was possibly him that had destroyed her entire village, killed her father, wounded her severely, and almost killed their son in a fit of madness.

_ ‘But… why don’t I believe that?’  _ Internally there was something that told him that this was wrong, that despite everything. He still believed that he hadn’t done that terrible thing. The fragments he remembered, that fight with the moon monster.  _ ‘But was that real?’  _ Did he not just dream that had actually happened or was Bulma right?

_ ‘Damnit, what do I say?’ _

He turned and just tried to blow it off, throwing up a smile. “It’s nothing right now. But something I want to talk with you later about.”

Chi-Chi raised an eyebrow, this wasn’t the Goku she was used to. “Something is really bothering you.” Goku’s stiff body posture and eye aversion was clear, it was easy to read him most times considering how he wore his emotions on his sleeves. “You haven’t been the same since we left West City, I’m guessing your friend Bulma had something to say to you didn’t she?”

He couldn’t hide that, “Yeah, you could say that.”

“I did say that, but would you say that, Goku?” She flipped the question back on him, not wanting him to try and deflect to what she felt, but more about what  _ he  _ felt right now. Goku opened his mouth ready to speak, but his voice failed him. He turned his head from her and decided to concede, but something had to be done first. “After we gather the dragon balls I’ll tell you.”

If he could at least manage that then it wouldn’t be terrible. But he also wasn’t sure if she would even believe him. “I want to tell you Chi-Chi, but I’m also scared to tell you. It well… it was something I should’ve realized sooner. I could’ve prevented what had happened if I had known what Bulma told me sooner.”

“I see,” Chi-Chi took a step back from Goku. “In regards to what happened between us or Gohan?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Both, I could’ve protected both of you and none of this would’ve happened.”

Thinking over what he said, Chi-Chi understood what he meant. “Meaning that you and I wouldn’t be in the situation we are now? I would still be with Kenyo and furious with you, and everything beforehand wouldn’t have happened. I’m guessing that you want to make amends for what happened then tell me what you should’ve done?”

_ ‘Damn.’  _ His face told her everything, he just nodded his head. Chi-Chi had picked up on him or knew him better than he thought, for the past few months they had been together, she had begun picking him apart mentally. 

“Goku I am not going to blame you for hindsight, it’s easy for me to dissect a problem and what I could’ve done and should’ve done. But what I know now doesn’t change anything that has happened to us. I understand more of you now than I realized and more importantly I have forgiven you for what transpired that night. So you can stop beating yourself up over it, because I’ll have to do that for you sometime later.”

There was a lot of wisdom to her words, he couldn’t be blamed for not knowing what happened now. He had attempted to do everything right once he saw what had transpired. But,  _ ‘So many people were hurt because of me, people who did not deserve it, people who were affected as a result of me looking into the full moon.’ _

He should’ve been more aggressive, and more inquisitive about his comings and goings about the full moon and his usual blackouts and scattered memories.  _ ‘But I don’t want to keep making excuses for this. Excuses don’t undo what I’ve already done to Chi-Chi.’  _ He couldn’t keep piling it on the pile of ignorance. That was unbecoming for even him. 

“Thanks.” He said to her, she gave him a soft smile and grabbed his hand. The reassurance of her gentle squeeze helped him more than she knew. Dealing with his emotions had always been simpler when it came to black and white stuff. Who was good and bad. That was easy for him.

This gray area, that murkiness that lingered between right and wrong. Where the unforeseen consequences of his actions took place outside of that simple bubble. Where learning if you made the correct decision began to affect him later in life, seeing the effects of his actions. While mostly good, he had been unintentionally hurting people through his lack of knowledge and foresight.

“Let’s go take a break, we can wait a while before going to find more dragon balls, Goku. Let you catch some dinner and then just relax and have a good time. We’re up to four, and we can have the rest of the dragon balls by the end of the week then we can make our wish.” She did not speak of her own concerns about that as well, it was hard to admit that she had fallen back in love with Goku again. Seeing him in such a different light than when she had her blinders on as a child had helped. That and his unwavering devotion to her and her son had changed her mind drastically.

But what was she going to do, she loved Goku and she still deeply cared for her dead husband. Would it be right to end things like that or…  _ ‘I don’t know…’  _ Her heart had become quite the fickle little organ and trying to have it dictate to her logical brain often gave her a headache. Goku forced a smile and nodded taking her back to the small capsule house on loan from Bulma who gave them one so that they wouldn’t have to spend it outside. Leaving Gohan an area to play in while his parents looked around the area, their concerns over his safety having diminished as the little boy had grown considerably stronger than both of them had thought.

[***]

Goku didn’t press Chi-Chi further, he wanted to keep this feeling inside of him at bay, but everytime he wanted to open himself up and tell her the truth he stopped himself.  _ ‘Wait… just wait...’  _ Repeating that mantra until everything was done, the wish was granted and their lives could regain some semblance of normalcy.

  
She didn’t come after him in an effort to pry him open, figuring that it was probably in regards to their future. Something she wasn’t ready to just throw down and have a talk about. Because, it was going to be complicated.

Reviving everyone was the right choice, but Chi-Chi mulled over what she should do in regards to her personal life. Could she and Goku just split, wouldn’t it be for the better?  _ ‘He can stop by and see his son and we can be cordial. I don’t see that being an issue.’  _

That former thought was option one, but there were several others. One of which Chi-Chi knew was going to be a struggle. That was, trying to start her relationship with Goku back over again. While promising she wasn’t sure if that is what he would want. Sure he was here now, trying to make up for things he had done before. But then would it be fair to the man she had married ? Would Kenyo be hurt because of her own selfishness?  _ ‘Ugh I hate it, Kenyo is a great caretaker and role model. So why is it Goku who always has me wanting him.’ _

Was it more because she had married her husband because he was there for her when no one else was? Perhaps? Perhaps not?

It was a difficult decision, but she sat not too far from Goku, mostly pretending to skim through a book. There was always the temptation of throwing caution to the wind, hurting and hurting someone she cared for because her heart had changed in a few short months.  _ ‘If it had ever changed, Goku has always been consuming part of my life.’  _

Her eyes often looked up at him, seeing that contemplative look on his face, which was odd for her to see. “Goku?”

“Hm?” His appearance changing within a second, something not visible unless looking for it. “Whats up, Chi-Chi?”

Closing the book - not that she was really interested in it - “Goku we’ve been beating around this question for too long.” Exhaling she looked him square in the eyes, “I want to know, what do you want after this is all done?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, with us,” She gestured to herself than pointed back towards the bedrooms. “Me and Gohan, what do you want to do?”

“Well I’d like to still be able to see you and Gohan if that’s okay.” Goku admitted, “I know it might be a little crazy with your dad and village needing time and all, but I still want to see you and my son.”

She sighed,  _ ‘Nope that’s not what I was looking for.’  _ Getting up from her seat she went over and sat down next to Goku taking his hand in hers. “Goku you’ll always be able to see me and Gohan, but do you want to have more than that? Do you want to be with us… like a family?”

“Like how you married that guy?” Goku asked, wondering if she meant they would be together like that?

“Kenyo, yes.”

“Well I’d like that.” He scratched the back of his head, being so open with Chi-Chi and with her sitting so close to him. There was this weird feeling in his chest again, wanting to do and say things to make the two of them happy “You and Gohan are always fun to be around.”

“Is that the only reason?” Taking his hand and setting it on her lap. “Goku, do you just want to be with me because of Gohan? Or do you want to be with me?”

His eyes perked up, the bashfulness still there but his expression was heavier, and more needy. “I want to be with you Chi-Chi, there’s just something about you that isn’t like everyone else and I,” He paused bringing his thoughts together, “I want to be close to you, every morning when I wake up I feel happy to see you so close to me with Gohan. I-I just don’t know how to explain it.” Feelings had always been easier with his friends, except for Chi-Chi. She was different.

Her face flushed slightly, and as she looked at him that was a deep burning that came roaring back for this man. He was unlike any other, “Goku…” Her voice trailed off, “Would you want to start over and marry me like you promised years ago?”

A smell penetrated his nose and not long after she smelled something coming from him. 

It was her smell, the kind of warm inviting call that he wanted to breathe in all day and something inside of him liked it a lot. Goku wrapped his fingers around her hand. She was so close to him, smelling like spicy cinnamon, and the more he breathed it in through his nose, the more he felt the urge to be closer to her. Sliding just that bit closer, Goku’s free hand came up and touched the side of her cheek, pushing back the unbound hair that framed her face. Loving her more when she kept her hair unbound than tightly bunched up in a bun. 

Her heart rate began to quicken and her lips became drier as she was so close she could feel Goku’s warm body temperature.

In these moments, Chi-Chi was reminded why this man had such a hold of her thoughts and attention for as long as he did. There was no one else like him, an innocence that was not only genuine but totally his own.

But what she  _ wanted,  _ was  _ him.  _

Goku did not stop himself, he leaned in as she tilted her head up to him. Their lips touching gently as he brought one hand behind her head, his fingers worming through her hair as she brought her arms around his neck. Pulling herself closer so that she might be tighter in his embrace.

It was here when everything else was but a side story. Goku did not care about anything else, his previous concerns were washed away as he tasted her lips and tongue. Rolling his tongue along the rims of her teeth as she stroked the side of his own.  _ ‘Kissing,’  _ it was sorely lacking words to describe it.

A kiss? No, it was bliss. He wanted to push her onto her back of the couch, dominate her lips and pin her beneath him and let him kiss her until he had his fill. But she flipped that on him. Shoving him backwards, Chi-Chi’s strength once again catching him off guard. Pinning him backwards with her hands on his shoulders.

Goku craved that type of aggression and strength for unknown reasons. She challenged him and could dominate him. A woman that would be his equal physically made his heart race and his body only more hungry.

Straddling his hips, Chi-Chi grinded against him, as long forgotten desires and new ones came to the surface. Her basic gi and panties shoved down against a swelling bulge of Goku’s hips. The tiny sparks of pleasure her body felt were only igniting a need for more!

Shuddering as she rocked against him finding it so arousing to be pinning down a man like Goku, keeping him trapped beneath her body as he began to push back. A test of submission and who was stronger. Wrapping his arms around her back, he attempted to roll her over but she blocked him. Their lips never breaking apart for more than a second.

A deep low purr escaped from his lips as the two fell from the couch and onto the floor like a pair of animals. Goku trying to push Chi-Chi onto her back, she, however, refused to be pinned beneath him. Both of them wrestling and making out in earnest. The act highly arousing as it was playful.

Their kiss became more aggressive and demanding as grunts and growls slipped out from their lips. Chi-Chi’s perch slipped as he grabbed one of her wrists and planted it on the floor. Her one leg attempted to plant itself down as her back arched into him. “More…”

His lips broke from hers and began to nibble at her neck, flicks of his tongue going to her neck. Her skin tasted so good with that layer of salt and how she sounded with those light gasps and cries only encouraged his actions. Goku didn’t know why, but making Chi-Chi make those sounds, smell sweet and spicy, and overall keeping her close and pinned down spurned something deep inside of him. He needed to do this.

  
Whether that reason be to bury his current discontent or her own, he wanted this. His voice purring as he brought his affections a bit lower and one hand skirted down along her clothed stomach. Kissing at the bridge of her neck and chest. “Chi-Chi.” 

Hearing her name made her spoken so needily was unlike anything before. Goku had kissed her before, in an effort to comfort and console her. But this was levels above that.

Slipping one of her hands from his back she made her way down just as Goku cupped the cleft of her hips. Her palm grabbed at a forming bulge in his pants. Their black eyes looked into one another,  _ desire,  _ it was written on both of their faces.

  
“Goku…” She breathed as his fingers began rough treatment of her poor clothed hips. The roughness of the fabric teasing her poor body.

  
“Hnghh” He lost his voice as her fingers wrapped around his cock just enough and began to stroke him. Her intense grip causing him to thrust into her, despite being constrained by his clothes. But neither wanted to stop. 

  
Goku’s lips found Chi-Chi’s own, his frenzied kiss matched only by the pace of her hand vigorously rubbing him up and down. In response he dug his own plam into her crotch and began to move in a similiar fashion causing her pants to dampen as he gave her entire sex some long neglected attention.

She hadn’t had any time to worry about her own basic needs in over a month, and Goku had gone far longer simply out of not caring. 

  
Both of them growled as their peaks came quickly. A brief reprieve to quell their urges for the time being. Their lips were still vigorously kissing as Goku fell to her side, the clear stain on his orange pants visible as Chi-Chi’s own legs were no better off.

They wanted more… but- Chi-Chi nipped at his bottom lip, the pain a warning to stop. “No,” Her voice heavy, even with the flush on her face and a fire in her loins she couldn’t do what they wanted to do. “We can’t do this…”

Despite his body’s current state Goku, with great reluctance, pulled back. “Okay, Chi-Chi.” He said doing his best to smile. 

“I know I want it too, but let’s not make it more complicated please?” 

Both of them separated, Chi-Chi rounding up to a sitting position as Goku fell onto his back. It took several minutes of them collecting themselves before one of them finally spoke. 

  
“Goku, how do you go through everything like you do?” He gave her a quizzical stare, but he thought he understood what she meant. Moving into a sitting position Goku gave her a small grin.

  
“Well, I just face my problems head on. I may not always be right but I do what I think is best at the time.”

“That’s it?” She said incredulously. 

“Yep, and whatever happens, good or bad, when we get the last dragon ball. Let’s face it together.”

[***]

_ “Let’s face it together.” _

Those words, while sounding so modest on their own, taken as they were now, Chi-Chi was ready to handle whatever was thrown their way from this way forward. This final leg of their journey and make the wish that would change everything.  _ ‘But we don’t have to decide, we can just make our decisions as we go.’  _

Chi-Chi felt more confident having more belief in those words now. “What do you think, Gohan?” Chi-Chi said to her son who was happily mashing and eating his turkey and peas. In regards to this being a family decision she did want to have her little boy on board with this. Not that he wouldn‘t be considering how attached he become to both of them since this all began.

Gohan licked one of his messy fingers and smiled at his mother. “I like Mommy and Daddy together!” His dad was super fun, and his mom was… well his mom, he’d never been able to spend so much time with her like he had now. Despite not understanding why he couldn’t see his grandfather or the other people from the village, he’d never been happier. Allowed to explore the outside world with his mom, do some ‘training,’ though his motor skills did allow for the fluid movements of his parents.

This was amazing to him, not too mention his daddy had been spoiling him with sweets whenever his mom wasn’t around. But despite his obvious amped up sugar levels, no one else knew aside from Goku.

“It’s always simple with you isn’t it, my little genius?” Chi-Chi sighed, pressing a kiss onto his head.

“Yeah!” he declared, not wholly following what his mother was saying, but he did mean that he liked having his mom and dad together. They both seemed to be so much happier than when they were alone. 

Seeing that his dad got very distant and just looking off into the air. In contrast his mom just sighed a lot and didn’t really want to do anything unless he called out to her.

“Well once you’re done smashing dinner we’re going to go find that last dragon ball tonight.”

“Can Icarus come with us?”

His mother shook her head. “No Gohan, Icarus can’t come with us. We don’t know exactly where it is and we don’t want him to get lost or hurt now do we?” But Gohan’s eyes watered with tears, always wanting to bring his good friend with him on every adventure. Having her son wander off with his pet dinosaur and get into something unmentionable now when they were going to finish up, she just didn’t want to change anything.

“Don’t cry Gohan, you and Icarus will be here for a little bit while me and your father go look around for the dragon ball.” She hugged him gently, “I promise we won’t be gone more than half an hour and I need you to be a good little boy while I’m gone, okay?”

Pouting once he realized he wasn’t going to get his way, he just went back to half eating and half playing with his food. His mother gave him another kiss before leaving him to finish with his food and go find what Goku was up to and how long they were going to be before they went and found the last mystical orb.

Already feeling him outside, Chi-Chi locked the door behind her, not wanting her son to get too far from where she had left him. Double check with Goku and go find the dragon ball and then… well the rest would be up to what their fates would want at that point wouldn’t they.

Breaking into his stretches, Goku heard the door to the capsule house open up when he was still mid warm up, a sort of ritual he had been performing before hand. Though there was something bothering him tonight, the sun was already starting to set and he just hadn’t been feeling comfortable about it since Chi-Chi decided to get the last ball.

“You sure about tonight?” He had already asked once, but he was hoping that she might’ve changed her mind about having them go out and locate it tonight. Not that it wouldn’t be too difficult, considering they were close to one of the ocean beaches kind of off the beaten path. 

There was just some feeling or instinct telling him that tonight was off. It was kind of like the night that…  _ shaking his head, no! No! There’s no full moon tonight.’  _ That he had been assured of by Chi-Chi. He knew what would happen if he lost himself in the moon. Though he had heeded Bulma’s warning since then, taking great care to avoid having any interaction with the moon.

“Yes,” She had committed to this and wasn’t going to back down. “Goku, I want to get this final ball tonight so we can spend one more night together before we bring back all of the people killed by that monster.” They could just wake up tomorrow and head back to her village and make the wish and then decide later. 

“I see,” She did have a point, “But Chi-Chi I just feel off about this.” There was something lingering in the air, but he couldn’t put a finger on it or even see what would be bothering him.

“We’ll be fine Goku, let’s just go find it and we won’t have to worry.”

About an hour later they had landed pretty close to the location, the dragon ball apparently having odd coordinates as Goku had to keep rechecking until they landed and were almost on top of it.

Clicking down atop the dragon radar, Goku’s eyes looked down as the green reflective surface showing the last blinking ball. “Should be right over there.” Pointing off in front of them. Chi-Chi followed his finger but didn’t observe the treasure that they were looking for. 

“Is it buried or something?” Chi-Chi asked.

“I don’t think so.” Goku said scratching his head, walking closer and bringing the dragon radar to within 10 meters of its exact location.

“Well I’ll light up the area and start sweeping around.” Igniting her ki from her palm and using it like a lantern, Chi-Chi swept her hand around as the sun had begun to set. Waving it around she couldn’t detect any glistening or glittering orbs. The dirt and grass made it difficult to pick out.

“Huh?” His voice escaping as he watched the dragon ball begin to move away from them. “It’s moving.”

“What?” She replied, her eyes looking around but with all of the brush they couldn’t view anything moving, well not anything big. “Which direction?”

Goku followed the radar like a compass and headed behind the ball, his feet breaking the fallen limbs and thick brush around them. Scanning forward, he looked for the sign of movement… then he caught it. A brown covered ball was being rolled away, two large beetles were attached to it as well. One using its hind legs to push a round object while the other picked and cleaned at the large dirt ball. “There it is.” He chuckled and Chi-Chi’s eyes followed Goku’s gaze and spotted it as well.

“Oh god, is that what- YUCK! I am not touching that!” Chi-Chi was immediately repulsed by the notion of putting her hands, or hell her, hands with clothes on them around that thing. She’d have to wear rubber gloves or something to even come close to touching it. 

A pair of dung beetles had decided to use the mystical dragon ball for the base for its large poop covered ball.

“Aw, it's not that bad Chi-Chi, I’ve seen dinosaurs leave bigger poops than that.” Goku not abashed by the prospect walked right over and flicked off the two bugs and then without hesitating wiped off the dung smeared over the orb which unveiled itself to them as the six star dragon ball. “Got it!” He declared almost triumphantly as Chi-Chi almost gagged.

“You are washing your hands the instant we get home a dozen times and you are forbidden from touching me for a week!” Chi-Chi snapped at him, feeling her skin getting goosebumps and itchy upon just watching Goku do that.

“Aw, it's just a little poop,” He argued but she shook her head. “There’s a difference Goku!”

“I don’t think so,” He countered but she shook her head. “Oh yes there is, I can smell it clearly from here.” She crossed her arms as Goku just laughed. “Oh Chi-Chi it’s not a-”

A massive bellowing roar broke through. Its thick guttural cry sending wildlife of all shapes and sizes fleeing. Immediately Goku and Chi-Chi’s focus snapped towards the sound as deep pounding of heavy footsteps became a deafening cacophony of noise. Both fighter’s eyes widened in mute horror as the monster that had slaughtered Chi-Chi’s village, nearly crippling Chi-Chi and battering Goku to a level he had never experienced was now rushing towards them.

Goku’s concerns over the full moon while justified did not account for a rare anomaly. The Earth’s ‘Second Moon’ Cruithne was currently passing through the sky, while not nearly as visible as the luminous orb that covered the planet with its light on a monthly basis. This massive orbiting asteroid cast a pale moonlight down onto the planet… and right into the eyes of Son Gohan.


	10. Wish

The deep bellowing cry made Chi-Chi and Goku both recoil slightly. The heavy pounding of feet and smashing of the land all around them caused their blood and auras to rise up. Though Goku was more shocked as he tried to realize just what was going on.  _ Bulma…. You said that I transformed into a giant monster… was that a lie? There’s no moon out, what is going on?!  _

Chi-Chi not knowing any of Goku’s hidden conversation let her white ki aura snap around her as she powered up. “Come to find me again,” She spat angrily, “Don’t worry, I won’t be caught off guard this time!” Looking to Goku who seemed more baffled, but she took his confusion as for why the monster was here not for the reasons he had hidden from her.

“Come on Goku, let’s put this thing down together! I can avenge my village, you can avenge your grandfather and we can both put our pasts to rest here and now!” The huge behemoth neared them. Its red eyes and brown furred body only growing in size.

“R-Right.” Goku said looking to Chi-Chi who blasted off and he could only follow after her. Nothing about this was feeling right, but as much as he would like to try and slow down and process all of the information coming out there simply wasn’t any time. 

A massive fireball exploded out from the creature’s mouth as it neared the two of them. Goku and Chi-Chi split with her coming right around and fearlessly charging the creature matching its war cry with one of her own.

Banking right she dodged the heavy paw that swiped at her, cutting along the length of its arm and not allowing it to strike her as she flew up the side and smacked it on the side of the head knocking its jaw slightly offset. “I learned last time, I’m not getting into a punching match!”

Flipping back around, she threw up a quick barrage of ki to scatter up dust and blocked its view. Switching her angle as she did so, the massive brute swatted through the debris ready to catch her on approach but wasn’t ready for her attack from below. Blasting up from below its waist, Chi-Chi caught it with a savage uppercut knocking it backwards.

But the beast wasn’t going to give Chi-Chi her advantage for long and smashed her with its tail. Whipping upwards and catching her from the front. Her guard barely coming up in time as she was sent backwards impacting hard into the ground.

Goku was still hesitant to just jump right into things, shoved down his gut instincts and shot forwards. This  _ thing  _ had come to attack Chi-Chi and Goku again. “I’m right here!” His voice shouting loud enough to catch the giant brown behemoth’s focus. 

Its head turned towards Goku, a low reverberating growl slipping outwards from its huge maw which dripped with fresh saliva. “Heyah!” Goku’s fist met the same one thrown towards him. Despite the size difference, Goku’s hand connected back with a near equal amount of force. The two began exchanging more blows, each one becoming heavier and more deafening.

Blocking the massive palm with both of his hands, Goku’s arms strained as it tried to smash him like a person would a fly. The focus on their duel was interrupted as Chi-Chi streaked back in and landed a hard kick right across their opponent’s face. Targeting the same spot over and over again. Wanting to cripple a visible vulnerability after so many blows. It had been something she had been wanting to do to Goku when they had a possible rematch, but that had long since changed.

Flipping right back around turning her entire body into a cannonball she slammed right into the beast’s temple toppling it over. 

Landing beside Goku she gave him a proud smirk, “Not bad, right?” 

“Well… you could work on your guard. You’ve been opening up your right side whenever you-” Their banter was cut short as a burst of fire shot over the ground that they once were standing together at. “I’ll correct you later, but this thing is really resilient.” He remarked, watching as it recovered quickly from their attacks.

“So do you have a plan or,” She looked at the beast righting itself properly. “Are you going with just hitting it harder?”

“I don’t know… something about this feels off. Like all of this is wrong, why is it here, how did it find us?” His mind was trying to process what the situation was from before but he just ended up empty handed each time.

“Goku, let’s focus on beating this thing first, you still have the last dragon ball?” Goku nodded in response as he had pocketed it earlier. She gave him a smile, words unable to convey what she felt right now. A whole tornado of emotions were all over her, she wanted revenge against the beast yet at the same time she felt an urge to fight the creature to prove that she was stronger and that was thrilling her.

  
The newest emotions he felt though was one because it was Goku who was beside her, he was the one with her. Fighting alongside her…  _ ‘Goku… you really are incredible.’  _ She thought smiling at him for a few brief seconds before taking back off towards her target.

Goku missed the deeper context of her emotions but he was happy to have her here. Breaking off the two taking alternate avenues of attack, for a beast so large they didn’t need to fight for surface area. But when Chi-Chi would strike high Goku would go low, when he would back off she would swoop back in, the vice versa as the brown monstrosity was capable of fighting one of them.

But two?

It roared in pain as Goku landed right on its back and drove a hard kick right into the monster’s spine right above its tail. The cry startling Chi-Chi as its maw shot open, forcing her to duck down. But the pain was only momentary and making it angrier and it seemed to be feeding off that.

Chi-Chi was backhanded, her body skipping across the ground several spots as it whipped back around and proceeded to claw after Goku. Forcing the world champion into desperate dodging as it swung fists and hurled whatever ground and debris it could after it missed at Goku’s position creating a storm of dirt, dust, and rock that was almost choking to be around.

Its form towered over the dust cloud and with a heavy palm strike downwards slammed Goku into the ground, the impact creating a meter deep crater and several more across as it raised up a foot and brought it back down. 

Goku cried out in pain as the heavy appendage hit him again and again. Gritting his teeth, he threw up a volley of ki which caught directly into the beast’s foot searing it and making it pull back as a painful cry escaped its jaw.

It wasn’t given another moment as Chi-Chi fired her own blast straight into its back, the explosion sent it forward and slamming its massive body through several trees and digging up a small trench as its body was drug along the ground.

Goku was still mildly incapacitated, he’d taken that heavy beam head on while trying to charge up for his own devestating attack. He was laying on his back with several long bloody streaks running off of his face and shoulder. Wincing in pain, Goku saw the dragon ball which had been pocketed now rolling away from him as it hit a small snag of trees, branches, and other foliage.

“Goku!” She cried out, her voice cracking with worry as she saw how he wasn’t exactly springing back up. 

He waved her off, “I’m fine!” He said though feeling more like he’d been run over by a truck one that was capable of being driven by the giant behemoth. This wasn’t close to how bad he felt after the first fight but it still hurt like hell.

_ ‘I’m not going to keep doing this. I am ENDING THIS!’  _ She slammed both of her palms together before splitting them apart with gaps between her once interleaved fingers. “It is over!” 

The creature just roared slamming his fists together in front of his chest while bellowing and vocally belting out other loud cries. 

“KA-!” Chi-Chi’s hand’s burst with blue light as she focused and charged up her most powerful attack in her life. The creature just snarled at her, the two forms about several hundred yards away. “ME-HA-!” The glow from her palms began to expand and the light began to spiral around her fingertips. 

  
Chi-Chi’s dark eyes glowed and watched the way its mouth began to glow red again just like it had done with Goku. “Not this time!” ME-!” Her voice leaving a heavy deep reverberation as her hands were shaking as the tremendous pressure was tearing up the ground and creating a smooth patch from around her as the force flanted the ground and debris around her.

The brown monster’s mouth filled with bright red energy, the orb beginning to form and swell into another devastating attack. 

WIth a thunderous roar, “HA-!” Her hands shot forwards and a huge ball of blue tore from her hands and curved as it slightly shot towards the giant. But in response the giant creature unleashed its own devastating attack.

Blue streaked past the red attack as both beams shot right alongside each other. The surprise that both missed took only a moment of realization but the distance apart left no time to react or throw up a guard. 

The giant brown monster’s chest was pulped by the impact, a massive hole tore through its stomach the size of a semi truck and blasting apart the end of its tail. The garbled scream came as it toppled forward. Chi-Chi however, was struck all the same. The blast seared her body as the pressure overwhelmed her. Her right arm vanished as she could only scream before everything turned white… then dark.

Goku watched in muted horror until his voice returned and the pained cry exploded like a shockwave. “NOOOOOOOO-!” Scrambling to right himself Goku watched as Chi-Chi’s body fell downwards and splattered over the ground. Her right arm landing meters away and blood fountained as her body was twisted collapsed onto the ground. 

It was too late even though he reached her in less than a few seconds from when she landed. Chi-Chi’s eyes were closed and her heart had stopped beating. The blast had torn apart her internal organs even if not directly destroyed. It had been painful but only its brevity was its blessing. “No… No!” Goku’s panicked cries reaching a fever as he touched her face. 

The memory of his grandfather coming right back to hit him full force, except he was with someone who was also very close to him. Someone he’d come to enjoy being around, more than a friend. Her bloodied features, broken limbs made him throw his head back and scream to the heavens. 

  
“CHI-CHI! NO!!!” His voice bellowed his power flairing for only a second until the warrior collapsed over her body and sobbed. Kissing her cheek, Goku rocked back and forth unable to contain his pain. He just didn’t know how-

Another scent, one he knew. The blood was just as potent as the blood that covered his fingers and body.

_ But… no… It… Why?! WHY?! WHAT?!  _ “AHHHHHH!” Goku screamed, his mind overloading with the newest information that his body was telling him. 

He could smell… smell... his son.

Laying Chi-Chi back down, his eyes soaked with tears, his cheeks still flowing the same crystal rivers as his head turned towards where the beast had been hit. The huge frame had shrunk down into a small body, one that was shattered and a far cry from the shining symbol it had been before. 

Gohan’s face was cold, his eyes gray and appearance just as horrific as his mother’s. A lung was missing, his heart had exploded, and the death had been instantaneous as his tail was half a bloody stump. “What is this?! TELL ME WHAT THIS IS?” Goku screamed, pulling back a fist and slamming it into the ground, his emotions spiralling all out of control as he beat the ground.

_ ‘Gohan?! The monster?! NO-! NO THIS IS ALL WRONG!’  _ He grabbed the sides of his face and hammered his head down into the ground but it wasn’t doing anything. His heart was screaming at him and not letting the pain subside. The tears were falling but the anger wasn’t abating. He knew there was something wrong with how the creature had a tail like his and Gohan. Bulma told him it was him who transformed in the moonlight and yet, his son had become the giant monster that had killed his own village and crippbled both him and Chi-Chi in the process.

“This is fucked up!” Swearing, he grabbed a thick piece of wood the size of a man’s thigh and about as long as a tree branch and smashed it into the ground. “What the fuck is this, why my son, why Chi-Chi?!” He continued to smash and break the stick until there was nothing but toothpicks. But even that wasn’t enough. He wanted to break something, if Piccolo, or hell, anyone he disliked showed up right now he could rip them to pieces and maybe alleviate the ache in his heart.

But there was none of that, so he just threw his hands back and screamed, the echo carried by the winds startling wildlife which panicked and fled from the sound. With nothing but his lungs Goku kept screaming until his voice was harsh and nothing but a dry rasp. Coughing and hacking he dropped down to his knees as the sun began to make its rise on the new day.

Grabbing his face with both hands, Goku found his face had dried up. But as his despair faded Goku looked up and spotted the familiar orange shine off in the distance… “Shenron…”  _ My family… Gohan and Chi-Chi I won’t let it end like this!’  _ His face pushed into a serious line as he picked up the body of his dead son and carried him to where his mother’s body remained. 

“Why didn’t I see it? How could I not have seen it?” Goku muttered to himself, feeling each step he took with heavy thuds of his feet, feeling the reverberations deep within his body even though he was trying to be as gentle as he could.

The lifeless body of Gohan, it just made his heart want to explode except far worse than what his own child’s had gone through when both him and his mother had simultaneously killed each other with devastating strikes. Neither side was able to raise a defense and were struck by mortal blows.

Taking a knee, Goku laid his son next to his mother, the once crimson blood now a darker maroon. The promise of resurrection made him yearn to see their faces again to know that he would be able to reverse this tragedy. It didn't make him feel any better for the situation he had caused by his own ignorance.  _ Maybe if I would’ve said something, I could’ve told Chi-Chi we could’ve worked through it together. We didn’t… I didn’t want any of this, I just…’  _ He just wanted a family… the same thing that he had lost all those years ago when he had killed his grandfather. Goku was to blame for both of his family's deaths.

He couldn’t touch Chi-Chi’s severed arm. He knew he would break down again if he did, he left it as it was for now and went to retrieve the dragon ball…

It took maybe another twenty minutes, finding the other scattered dragon balls hadn’t been as easy as the dragon radar was busted thanks to the sprawling battle, but they weren’t too far. The capsule house was now a demolished mess, he could see that Gohan had transformed inside and broke through the ceiling though he still could not understand why. There hadn’t been any moon or sign as to what had happened. Goku could only guess that his son had inherited his father’s ability to transform differently -that was the only way this could make sense to him.

So just meters away from his dead family, Goku raised up his hands as the golden light flashed from all seven dragon balls. “SHENRON! I HAVE A WISH!” His voice cried out and with a crackle of thunder the body of the eternal dragon sprang forth, dwarfing the sides of the area with his sprawling serpent body. 

“YOU HAVE SUMMONED ME, STATE YOUR WISH!” The eternal dragon bellowed, its deep rumbling voice and red eyes looking squarely at Goku.

“SHENRON!” Goku shouted, his hands clenched tightly into fists in front of his chest, “I wish that Gohan, Chi-Chi, that my family was alive and unhurt right now with me!” His declaration clear, that he was ready to have what he’d lost back.

A rumble escaped the massive dragon’s jaw. The glow of his crimson eyes began to swell and burn brightly. “ALL EXCEPT ONE CAN BE DONE! YOUR WISH SHALL BE GRANTED NONETHELESS!” 

_ All except one?  _ What did he mean? “Shenron what do you mean? Is my son or Chi-Chi not capable of being-”

“I HAVE GRANTED YOUR WISH!” The dragon bellowed drowning out Goku’s words. The red glow of the eternal dragon’s eyes fading back into a low dull red. “FAREWELL!” It said as a glow began to envelope its body.

“Wait! Shenron!” Goku called out again but the small massive crash of thunder shook the area. Like a great gust of wind Goku had to raise up his arms to shield his eyes which were forced to squint as the seven balls raised up into the air and blasted apart. Their task fulfilled and the dragon granted his chance to rest once more for another year.

Goku was left stunned in silence, his mind already rattled by the day’s events now were forced to deal with the pressure that his family may not be brought back?  _ ‘Kami, what do I do? Grandpa, anyone?’  _ His head turned though towards what had once been Gohan and Chi-Chi’s bodies… his heart jumped in jubilation. “CHI-CHI! GOHAN!” He screamed in joy.

Chi-Chi lifted herself up from the ground, her body unhurt but her mind foggy like she’d been in a long sleep. Vague memories of being a white fluffy cloud standing in line to get approved to go to heaven or hell. 

But Gohan who barely was able to lift himself up, his body drained and tired, his tail now gone as the half saiyan just released a weak gurgle. His mind was unable to focus other than he was just so tired.

Goku skidded to a complete halt, his hands wrapping around the two of them. “Oh thank Kami.” He kissed Chi-Chi’s head, “You’re okay… you’re both alive.” He was almost to the point of tears that he just held them close.

“G-Goku? What happened?” Chi-Chi felt Goku as her black mess of hair was pressed into the side of her face. They had started fighting the giant monster… and then she couldn’t remember.

“Oh, Chi-Chi I-”

“What the fuck?” A thick crass voice said startling Goku. His head shifting over his shoulder towards the voice as Chi-Chi was still in a daze and didn’t really notice. 

“Are… we alive?” Another voice, more feminie and softer in its tone spoke next. 

Standing just meters away, was him… or someone who looked almost exactly like him, and a woman smaller in size but wearing the same outfit and sharing similar features. Goku looked at them, they looked right back. 

The other version of him squinted, blinked his eyes, brought a hand to rub his eyes than blink once again. “Shit… is that… Kakarot?” 

“EII-!” The woman squealed almost delighted, “By planet Vegeta! It's! It’s our son!” 

Goku’s wish… it certainly had been granted.

[***]

Months later, Goku also known as Kakarot by his birth parents was enjoying himself with his parents in the forest where Goku had grown up with his now ‘adoptive’ grandfather. Of course it wasn’t just his parents, but he was joined with Gohan and best of all Chi-Chi. The new and strange family of five had quite the interesting meeting and gathering.

“This certainly beats that hellscape on Vegeta, that’s for sure.” Bardock said tearing off a piece of large boar meat from the rotisserie spinner that Gine had going. The former planet purger and saiyan warrior had taken to his resurrection rather well. A clean world, with plenty of game, a son to spar with, a mate to… mate with, and an abundance of local food this place was a paradise by comparison to anything in the past.

Gine just laughed, “Yes, it is. I just still can’t believe we’re alive again and by pure coincidence.” She cut into the boar with her own makeshift cleaver. “Come on Chi-Chi, Gohan food’s ready!” 

Goku was, much like his father, already salivating at the prospect of a new meal. Chi-Chi had taken herself to look after Gohan and his studies since they had this newfound peace and  _ life.  _ The knowledge that her child was half alien, Goku an alien sent to destroy all life on the world when he was but a child had taken time to let it sink in. But considering that everything had worked out, she had decided that it wasn’t worth making this anything bigger than it needed to be.

She was alive, Gohan, was alive, and Goku was with her. Even though she wanted to still revive her village she didn’t fault Goku for in a moment of panic wishing that they were both resurrected and fine. Goku had blamed himself for a bit after simply not telling Chi-Chi the truth, but the truth didn’t help that Gohan’s transformation had been a complete fluke. There wasn’t anything they could’ve done to prepare for that. Even if Goku had told her, she wouldn’t have known about the rare lunar occurrence that had caused it. Most people didn’t even realize it, she wasn’t psychic or able to see the future so there was only so mad she could get about it.

_ They  _ had been given a second chance, a new beginning as a family with Goku’s own parents now resurrected to help them start over. That and their own knowledge of what they were helped guide not only Gohan on how to control his powers but Goku as well.

Chi-Chi realized the signs now that there was obviously something much different about Goku at first glance thanks to hindsight. His strange hair, tail, mannerisms, and strength. All of them were subtle hints that Goku wasn’t human. 

That and when she’d had the chance to speak with her new in laws about Goku’s behavior everything became clearer and clearer. Bardock told her that a saiyan without full control over his primal Oozaru form. The one that her son had shifted into became feral in thought and action. Gohan was just rampaging due to his nature, not out of any sort of hidden aggression. In addition it also showed up in Goku, whenever the full moon appeared Goku himself became more feral. It was also why he acted on baser instincts and claimed her that night. Had it not been a full moon none of it would’ve transpired the way it did.

If that wasn’t even enough, Chi-Chi’s own body had clearly assimilated saiyan traits. Bardock noted that few hybrid species that came from saiyan unions often took portions of saiyan power as the added mixture of saiyan blood mixed with her own in a small fashion. Her increased strength, agility, focus, and senses were all thanks to her now partial alien blood.

Truly this had to be some kind of messed up fairy tale, but this was in fact real. She was an alien’s mother… and had taken Goku back as her lover and emotional support. 

But it was food for thought another day. Chi-Chi came over to help set up and eat the meal Gine had caught, seasoned, and cooked all in an afternoon. It was the only family she now had until the dragon balls were restored down the road. But until then…

“Come on, Chi-Chi!” Goku said, waving her over to come and sit beside him. His smile hiding some of the guilt and regret to this day. But accepting his faults and failings had only made not only him, but both of them stronger.    
  
Together.

“Smells good.” Chi-Chi complimented, taking a seat while a bouncy half saiyan jumped on the edge of a large tree stump fashioned into an outdoor dining table. “Come here you little hyper ball.” Bardock said, taking control over his grandson. The saiyan gleefully laughed as Grandpa put him on his knee and let him bounce even faster as super speed was way better.

Gine laughed, serving up the portions, commenting on how alike Gohan was to his daddy and granddaddy. Goku and Chi-Chi turned to each other, their eyes saying what their mouths did not have to. 

Leaning in the pair kissed, gently, tenderly. They had their new beginning and intended to make the best of it.

The End


End file.
